Taiwanese democracy pioneer Peng Ming-min (彭明敏), whose advocacy helped the nation transition from an authoritarian state, died yesterday morning at the age of 98.
In announcing his passing on Facebook, the Peng Foundation for Culture and Education said there would be no public funeral, and that Peng would be cremated and interred at the Yanguang Cemetery in Kaohsiung’s Daliao District (大寮).
Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) yesterday said that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was saddened by the news, describing Peng as not only a renowned legal academic, but also a trailblazer in Taiwan’s democracy movement.
Photo: Lee Hsin-fang, Taipei Times
Peng inspired generations of Taiwanese to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, dignity, democracy and freedom, Chang said, quoting Tsai, adding that she expressed her condolences to Peng’s family.
Born in Taichung in August 1923, Peng graduated from National Taiwan University (NTU) in 1948 with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
He earned master’s and doctoral degrees in law from McGill University in Canada in 1953 and the University of Paris in 1954 respectively. After finishing his studies in France, he returned to teach at NTU.
In the early 1960s, the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime tried to groom him to become a government official, but he instead became an outspoken democracy advocate.
Peng in 1964 drafted A Declaration of Formosan Self-Salvation with his students Hsieh Tsung-min (謝聰敏) and Wei Ting-chao (魏廷朝).
The document called Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) dream of “retaking the mainland” unattainable, and advocated for “one Taiwan, one China,” a new constitution, joining the UN as “Taiwan” and creating a free nation.
Peng was arrested over the manifesto and convicted of sedition. While under house arrest, he escaped to Sweden in 1970 and remained in exile for more than two decades. It was during that time he established the Formosan Association for Public Affairs in the US and lobbied for the end of martial law in Taiwan.
Peng returned to Taiwan in 1992 and launched his foundation, dedicated to promoting Taiwanese culture, and in 1996, he ran as the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) first presidential candidate on a ticket with Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), now representative to Japan.
Peng finished second in the four-way race, won by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).
In 2000, Peng was a senior adviser to then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
Many DPP politicians yesterday also expressed sorrow over Peng’s passing.
DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) called Peng’s life “a history book on Taiwan’s democracy,” saying he was “a spiritual leader of Taiwan’s independence movement,” and that Peng’s faith would remain in the nation and in the minds of all Taiwanese.
Taiwanese must keep fighting for Peng’s goals, which include Taiwan joining the UN and becoming a normalized country, DPP Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑) said.
Additional reporting by Lee Hsin-fang and Hsieh Chun-lin
NETWORK-MAPPING PROJECT: The database contains 170 detailed files of Taiwanese politicians and about 23 million records of household registration data in Taiwan China has developed a network-mapping project targeting political figures and parties in Taiwan to monitor public opinion during elections and to craft tailored influence campaigns aimed at dividing Taiwanese society, according to documents leaked by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy (中科天璣). The documents, collected by Taipei-based Doublethink Lab, showed a database was specifically created to gather detailed information on Taiwanese political figures, including their political affiliations, job histories, birthplaces, residences, education, religion and a brief biography about them. Several notable Taiwanese politicians are in the database, including President William Lai (賴清德), former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍),
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
UPGRADED MISSILE: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is reportedly to conduct a live-fire test of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday next week The US Army is planning to build new facilities to boost explosives production and strengthen its supply chain, a move aimed at addressing munitions shortages and supporting obligations to partners including Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, Defense News reported. The army has issued a sources sought notice for a proposed Center of Excellence at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, the report said. The facility would serve as a hub within the US industrial base for the production of key military explosives, including research department explosives (RDX) and high melting explosives (HMX), while also supporting research and development of next-generation materials. The proposed
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
RSS