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DEMOCRACY & PROGRESSRemembering 228: DPP chair says together we must secure our hard-won democracy, freedom

This year marks the 67 anniversary of the 228 Massacre

DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang was invited to speak at a rally commemorating the anniversary of the 228 Massacre along with 28 members of the victims families.

The event was organized by the Taiwan Nation Alliance led by Mr. Yao Chia-wen, former DPP

chair and jailed activist. The commemoration started with a march beginning from the site of the massacre in 1947, the Tianma Teahouse.

Chair Su said he wished to remind the Taiwan-ese people to cherish the hard-won achieve-ments in democracy and freedom through the sacrifices made by our Taiwanese ancestors.

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In order to consolidate its power, the foreign forces of the KMT used the 228 Massacre to sup-press the Taiwanese people, Chair Su remarked. Many of the countrys elite at that time their voices were drowned. After 38 years of Martial Law, the Taiwanese people finally ended their silence and pursued our current democracy and freedom. After the first transfer of power, the DPP administration created the 228 Truth Com-mission, but there is still a long road we must walk to find out the whole truth.

Chair Su stressed the importance for the Taiwan-ese people to persist in democracy and freedom in order to prevent another 228 Massacre from taking place again. Only through our persistence, he insisted, were the sacrifices made by our an-cestors worthwhile for the next generation to cherish.

On February 25, former chief editor of the Hong Kong publication Ming Pao Daily, Kevin Lau Chun-to, was attacked by unknown assailants and left critically injured.

Mr. Honigmann Hong, director of the DPPs Department for China Affairs, commented in a press conference that the DPP is highly con-cerned about the declining environment in the rule of law and in the suppression of press free-dom, for which the media in Hong Kong has accused is Beijings doing.

Mr. Hong said that since June of last year, Hong Kong media professionals have suffered a series of attacks and none of these cases have been re-solved by the police.

This means that these violent attacks are not single occurrences, said Mr. Hong. He thinks that CCP are not using national capital and vio-lent methods to raise the chilling effect of re-straining press freedom in Hong Kong.

As there is the Tenth High-Level Meeting cur-rently been held in Taipei, and there will be a visit by Chen Deming, president of the Associa-tion for Relations across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) with Wang Yu-chi, minister of the

Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), there is an opportunity to express to China that the Taiwan-ese people are concerned over the issue of tight-ening freedom of the press in Hong Kong. This would show China, said Mr. Hong, Taiwan cares about democracy and human rights.

Mr. Hong elaborated on the attacks to Hong Kong media professionals since June of last year, for which up to now have not been solved by the HK police. These incidents are: iSun Af-fairs publisher Chen Ping beaten by baton-wielding individuals; the assassination attempt on Apple Daily boss Jimmy Lai with a machete found at the front door of his house; owner of CLT Newspaper & Magazine Distribution Lim-ited Sum Tak Keung attacked and left critically injured; and lastly am730 owner Shih Wing-chings car hammered by two assailants.

Additionally, Mr. Hong said that in the past year, other incidents have also raised causes for alarm. These were: HKTV unable to obtain a free license to operate; the sudden replacement of Ming Pao Daily chief editor Kevin Lau; the firing of Hong Kong radio host Li Wei-ling from Commercial Radio Hong Kong; and the many Hong Kong publications with media advertise-ments suddenly pulled.

DPP expresses concern over threats to rule of law, freedom of speech in Hong Kong

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DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang announced the DPPs four principles concerning the legislative review of the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement signed in June of last year in Shanghai. DPP legislators exchanged views with Chair Su after hearing an update concerning the agreement by Mr. Honig-mann Hong, director of the DPPs Department for China Affairs.

DPP Spokesperson Mr. Lin Chun-hsian, on behalf of Chair Su, said that the DPP is not against trade, and it hopes that Taiwan can sign different types of trade agreements with other countries in order to strengthen its own economy and to enhance the quality of life for the Taiwanese people. However, Chair Su says that we must recognize that between Taiwan and China, there are differences in eco-nomic and political systems, where Taiwan is a democracy and a free country while Chinas econ-omy is mostly state-run. Additionally, it is neces-sary to consider that when both countries entered WTO, Taiwan already opened-up 58% of its mar-ket while China has only opened 37%.

As a result of these differences, Chair Su said that four principles must be established when examin-ing the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement, which are: (1) equal opening, (2) fair competition, (3) safeguard peoples livelihoods, and (4) ensure national security.

Spokesperson Lin explained that equal opening calls for the same proportion of markets that are being opened, including cross-border services and the adjustment to the ratio of commercial presence. Additionally, the agreement should not be limited to some provinces in China, like Fujian and Guangdong provinces, but rather, it should encom-pass the entire China.

To ensure fair competition, Spokesperson Lin said that in light of the differences between politi-cal and economic systems of both countries, the markets that are being opened should have the necessary conditions that allows for fair competi-tion between them.

In June of last year, when the trade agreement was signed, Taiwanese academics with expertise on trade and several civic groups raised many sub-stantial standpoints. These included a call for regu-latory measures for the supervision of trade pacts between Taiwan and China and implementing regulations concerning Chinese investments into Taiwan. After holding several technical meetings, the DPP Legislative Caucus issued two bills, the Bill on Pacts between Taiwan and China and the Bill on Relations between peoples from the Cross Straits. These bills, however, although having en-tered into the Procedure Committee, did not reach deliberation.

Also last year in June, the KMT and the DPP nego-tiated at the Legislative Yuan to review each item of the trade agreement, consenting to deliberate on each item being examined. Chair Su appealed for the KMT Legislative Caucus to abide by this nego-tiation result.

I call on the KMT to absolutely not forgo the will of public opinion in order to cave-in to the will of President Ma Ying-jeou, Chair Su said.

He said that the DPP will without fail represent the interests of the Taiwanese people at the legislature, and he lastly sent a warning to the KMT not to misjudge the situation and act in a rash manner.

In late February, Premier Jiang Yi-hua said that according to an Executive Yuan survey, over 60% of the population said they wished to see the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement pass. However, in a DPP poll released on February 25, when asked whether the public hoped to see the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement passed or re-negotiated, 70.5% of the public answered that they hoped to re-negotiate the trade agreement. Only 17.5% of the respondents answered that they hoped to see the agreement pass completely.

DPP issues four principles for LY review of Cross Strait Services Agreement

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On February 27, the DPP held a press conference releasing its newest publication The New Diplo-matic Strategy, which summarizes the past two years of the DPPs achievements in foreign rela-tions. Mr. Liu Shih-chung, director of the DPPs Depart-ment of International Affairs, said that this publica-tion highlights the DPPs foreign policy, which as Chair Su has pinpointed, is to open up interna-tionally, show care to the world and to promote democracy and peace. In the publication, it is told that the DPP exerted a large amount of effort into fundraising to re-open the DPP representative office in Washington, D.C., which was closed twelve years ago when the DPP won the administration in 2000. Without the con-tributions from Taiwanese residents in the U.S. and in Canada, this office would not have been opened,

and as a tribute to them, the publication largely dedicates the DPP's achievements to their support. In order to re-strengthen the DPPs relations with the U.S., Chair Su raised the 3Rs of foreign policy for the DPP, which were responsibility, recon-ciliation and re-balance. In his speech at the Brookings Institution in June of last year, Chair Su explained that responsibility is to pave the way for a DPP comeback to government, also calling for reconciliation in the normalization of cross strait relations and a re-balance of US-Taiwan relations. Confronting the new transformations in Asias re-gional security, the DPP has especially strength-ened its partnership relations with neighboring countries in order to prevent further changes to the status quo of peace and stability in the region. Fur-thermore, in regards to Chinas Regional Compre-hensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to counter

DPPs achievement in foreign relations highlighted in new publication

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...DPPs achievement in foreign relationsthe U.S. promotion of the Trans-Pacific Partner-ship (TPP), the DPP also hopes for Taiwan to ex-pand more economic and trade relations with Southeast Asia. On the environmental front, the DPP has also fo-cused on building foreign relations based on the DPPs goal to promote a nuclear-free homeland. Through exchanges with NGOs from European countries like Denmark, Germany and U.K., the DPP has obtained great assistance in formulating policy regarding the promotion of alternative sources of energy to replace nuclear power, said Mr. Liu. In political party-to-party relations, the DPP as founding member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) and as member of Liberal International (LI) has promoted democracy devel-opment through these platforms and at the same time let the world understand Taiwans democratic and free system. In 2012 and 2013, LI passed reso-lutions appealing for the governing administration in Taiwan to grant Former President Chen Shui-bian a medical parole and to respect judicial inde-pendence. This kind of international pressure on the current administration ensured the passage to amendments in Taiwans legislature concerning communications security and surveillance law, Mr. Liu said. Mr. Joseph Wu, representative to the U.S. and ex-ecutive director of the DPPs Policy Research Committee, said that under the leadership of Chair Su, the DPPs office in Washington D.C. was re-opened after it was shut down 12 years ago, im-proving smoothly the DPPs relationship with the U.S. through exchanges with the U.S. Congress and with a variety of think tanks.

Mr. Wu also reported that U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce gave strong encouragements to the DPPs work when he visited Taiwan last week. Also present at the press conference were Legisla-tor Hsiao Bi-khim and Legislator Chiu Yi-ying, who gave their appraisal of the milestones achieved by the DPP in diplomatic relations. Both having taken part in the Legislative Yuans Com-mittee on Foreign Affairs have ensured that the DPPs standpoints are enacted through legislation in Taiwans foreign policy. Ms. Maysing Yang who served as director of the DPPs Department of International Affairs during the early stages of the DPP as a party, told the story of the achievements made by the DPP through the small amount of contributions by its supporters. These results must be attributed to them, she stressed. Chair Su made concluding remarks, emphasizing that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country because if it conducts foreign relations, it is a country and because as a country, it has to engage in foreign relations. Chair Su added, Even though the DPP has faced tough challenges in foreign relations and despite our limited resources, we will continue working hard to achieve our goals.

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Taiwan must "promptly adjust its national defense strategy, military strategy, and operational con-cepts" to meet growing Chinese military threats and "establish Taiwan's self-defense capability" the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)'s Chair Su Tseng-chang declared, and made these recommen-dations:

1. Implement concrete and comprehensive meas-ures to strengthen cyber defense capabilities;

2. Accelerating the indigenous production of sub-marines; and

3. Transforming Taiwan's air capabilities to include indigenous production of advanced long-range unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV) and re-search regarding production of next-generation fighter jets.

The DPP's Fifth Defense Policy Blue paper (Eng-lish translation begins at page 37), "China's Mili-tary Threats against Taiwan in 2025," details the pace and scope of China's military buildup in cyber warfare capability, growth of the precision and di-versification of missiles and fifth generation fight-ers, plus the PLA Navy's transformation.

Protecting Taiwan's highly informationalized soci-ety is a top priority and demands attracting more information warfare personnel, developing asym-metrical cyber operational concepts and equip-ment, and strengthening cyber defense frontlines.

To defend Taiwan's maritime security, indigenous production of submarines should be initiated im-mediately and more proactively, in conjunction with the continued production of swift, stealth mis-sile boats.

The high density and precision strikes of the PLA's missiles, fighters and bombers must be met by con-tinued upgrading of the IDF and F16 fleets, pro-curement, if possible, of advanced fighters from foreign sources, indigenous production of ad-vanced long-range unmanned combat vehicles (UCAVs) and research into the indigenous produc-tion of next generation fighter jets with refined long-range precision strike munitions.

Reiterating the DPP's call that Taiwan's national defense budget "should return to the level of 3% of GDP," Chair Su declared, "Only by audaciously shouldering the responsibility and bearing the bur-den of national defense can all of us and our future generations continue to enjoy the fruits of freedom and democracy."

The DPP Defense Policy Advisory Committee has launched a series of defense policy blue papers since June 2013. There were many Taiwanese and American experts, as well as several retired gener-als and admirals, who offered their valuable advice and insight during the process. The DPP is a re-sponsible political party which values Taiwans national security and will continue publishing the Defense Policy Blue Papers on the issues such as force planning, budget, and serviceman throughout this and next year.

DPP: audaciously shouldering Taiwans national defense

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Following the conclusion of the meetings be-tween Wang Yu-chi, minister of Taiwans Main-land Affairs Council (MAC) and Zhang Zhijun, minister of Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), held in China last week, the opposition Demo-cratic Progressive Party (DPP)s executive direc-tor for policy research, Dr. Joseph Wu, and Hung Tsai-lung, director of DPPs China Affairs De-partment, called a press conference to issue the DPPs five recommendations and three questions concerning the Wang-Zhang meeting:

First, the DPP supports the normalization of cross-Strait relations and regularized contact be-tween the two governments as a laudable goal, and welcomes exchanges between high-level of-ficials without preconditions. However, we must also carefully consider what we are willing to give up in pursuit of this end. A well-known U.S. expert candidly said last month that the question of high-level cross-Strait exchanges is not one of feasibility, but rather, of the price that would be exacted. Former KMT chairman Wu Po-hsiung alluded to the concept of the one China frame-work when he visited China last June; President Mas letter to Xi Jinping in July also referenced their mutual insistence on the 1992 consensus under the one China principle. Is this a price that we are willing to pay? Such an important matter implicating Taiwans basic status is one that should be jointly decided by the people, not by Ma Ying-jeou alone. Furthermore, Minister Wang again asserted in Shanghai on Thursday that cross-Strait relations are not state-to-state relations. To make this type of statement, fully aware that it touches on the domestically sensi-tive independence-unification nerve, and in the absence of any attempt at dialogue on the issue within Taiwan, is certain to lead to further con-tention back home. Taiwan should not have to pay the resulting price.

Second, there is great discrepancy in the content of the press statements issued by the two sides after the first Wang-Zhang meeting on February 11. The summary text published by the Chinese authorities describes a five-point consensus that was reached, but when compared with the MAC press release, it seems that the each side is merely telling their own version of the story. The only point on which there is clear agreement is in the reference to the 1992 consensus. The unilat-eral declaration of a supposed consensus or issuance of a joint statement is maneuver that the Chinese have commonly employed in cross-Strait exchanges over the past few years, thereby trapping Taiwan into the narrative that it defines; this is what happened just recently after the cross-strait media forum in December. For it to recur on this occasion, without eliciting any kind of response from MAC, leads one to question: have we completely acquiesced to Chinas one-sided consensus?

Third, what the Chinese wants at this time is to enter into political negotiations with Taiwan. Since the SEF-ARATS channel will continue op-erating as a forum to address issues of a more pragmatic nature, it appears that the MAC-TAO platform has been created with the intention of elevating the political level of exchanges. With these politically-oriented talks now in the deep water zone, every step and every word emitted by each side must be done with great delibera-tion, to in effort to secure the maximum amount of gain. Yet it seems that the Ma administration is only concerned with the appearances projected by the Wang-Zhang meeting, leaving all of the substance to be orchestrated by the Chinese. No normal government of a normal country would conceded this much. If in the future China insists on holding Taiwan to the commitments made in the February 11th Cross-Strait Consensus, the

Five recommendations, three suggestions for Wang-Zhang Meetings

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...Wang-Zhang MeetingsMa government may be unable to withstand the pressure.

Fourth, before going to China Minister Wang had stated that one of his objectives was to seek par-ticipation in the regional economic integration process, and this goal was also written into the MAC press release. But the first point of con-sensus that appears in the TAOs statement is-sued following the Wang-Zhang meeting is fo-cusing on completion of follow-on agreements under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), refining channels of cross-strait economic cooperation, and seriously ex-ploring the feasibility of joint economic devel-opment toward appropriate modes of participa-tion in the regional economic integration proc-ess. If the MAC has not put forth any objection to this consensus, then it appears that Taiwans accession to RCEP and TPP has already been subsumed within the ECFA framework. This is a complete loss for Taiwan not only in substance but also in symbolism.

Fifth, prior to Minister Wangs departure, the DPP had repeatedly called on the administration to raise the issues in cross-Strait negotiations that remain unresolved, including compensation for Taiwanese businesses from previous lapses in food safety, repatriation of financial criminals, re-negotiation of unequal provisions in the serv-ices trade pact, and freedom of the press and hu-man rights questions. These are the subjects of greatest concern to the people of Taiwan, but MAC did not broach them at all. We are deeply disappointed that government did not take our cue in this regard.

Dr. Wu went on to pose three questions to minis-ter Wang:

1. The statement released by MAC immediately after the meeting was vague and ambiguous, while the title of the TAO press release trumpets the proactive consensus reached. Did the two sides reach any kind of consensus or not? Or has Taiwan been trapped into a consensus?

2. With regard to the potential meeting between President Ma and President Xi Jing-ping, Presi-dent Ma has reiterated the need to create the right conditions. What kind of condition is he refer-ring to, and what is the price that the Ma admini-stration is willing to pay? Has Taiwan not paid a high enough price already?

3. Exactly what priority has the administration accorded to the issues of greatest importance to the people of Taiwan?

Additionally, China affairs department director Hung Tsai-lung elaborated on the monitoring and oversight mechanisms for cross-Strait negotia-tions and agreements. Hung requests that Minis-ter Wang provide a special report to the Legisla-tive Yuan and take questions from legislators af-ter his return to Taiwan. All cross-Strait nego-tiations and agreements should be subject to comprehensive oversight by the legislature. Fur-ther, we should establish a formal process to grant authority to conduct cross-Strait talks to institutionalize the mechanism for legislative oversight of cross-Strait negotiations.

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At the DPP Headquarters on Feb. 20, DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang met with an U.S. Congressional Delegation led by Representative Edward R. Royce, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also part of the delegation were Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH); Represen-tative Brad Sherman (D-CA); Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC); Representative Randy Weber (R-TX); Representative Luke Messer (R-IN); Repre-sentative Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) and Representative Joseph P. Kennedy, III (D-MA).

In his remarks, Chair Su first expressed his deep-est appreciation to the U.S. Congress for their long-term support of Taiwan while also reaffirm-ing the DPPs commitment to strengthen Taiwan-U.S. relations.

Chair Su especially commended Rep. Royce for supporting Taiwans bid to join the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) last year, saying that he wanted to thank him in person, and that Taiwan was better off with good friends like you.

Chair Su emphasized that the DPP will continue upholding its support of Taiwans national de-fense and protecting Taiwans achievements in democracy, peace and human rights.

I would like to emphasize the DPPs determina-tion to strengthen Taiwans defense and to con-solidate Taiwans democracy. I look forward to our further cooperation to bring closer relations between our two countries, to further highlight our value on democracy and human rights and to have Taiwan serve as a beacon light of hope in the entire East Asia.

Rep. Royce started his remarks wishing everyone a happy New Year in Mandarin, noting that this was the strongest bi-partisan delegation that has ever visited Taiwan.

Regarding Taiwan obtaining U.S. visa-free status, he expressed that he was very happy to see that this years New Year flights to the U.S. increased by 30% as a result. Because of the frequency in flights between Taiwan and the U.S., it was of vital importance that Taiwan was able to enter

DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang meets with U.S. congressional delegation visiting Taiwan

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...U.S. congressional delegation visiting TaiwanICAO so that those traveling to Taiwan would have the same right to participation, he said.

Rep. Royce emphasized that he and members of the Taiwan Caucus would like to push for Taiwan to gain greater international space and part of that is for Taiwan to have access to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

We want to build on this idea of giving Tai-wan international space and part of that is, I believe, access to the TPP because across the Pacific Rim, we are going to have more trade, more investment activities that is going to generate growth.

Furthermore, Rep. Royce reported that along with Rep. Sherman, they would be introduc-ing legislation to reaffirm the Taiwan Rela-tions Act (TRA) with its upcoming 35th Anni-versary on April 10.

Rep. Royce concluded his remarks by ex-pressing appreciation to see Chair Su at the DPP Headquarters, and promising to make certain that they will deepen and strengthen the relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. in Congress.

The meeting took place over thirty minutes and present at the meeting alongside Chair Su were Representative to the U.S. Dr. Joseph Wu and Mr. Liu Shih-chung, Director of the DPPs Department of International Affairs. Accom-panying the delegation was American Institute in Taipei (AIT) Director Christopher J. Marut, congressional staff and spouses of the con-gressmen.

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DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

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