DPP Newsletter Mar2006

8/7/2019 DPP Newsletter Mar2006

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A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE

INTERNATIONAL DEPT. OF THE DPP TAIWAN

318 Big Parade draws Taiwanese to speak out

March 2006318BIG PARADE DRAWS

TAIWANESE TO SPEAKOUT.........1

DPPSURVEY ON CROSSSTRAITRELATIONS......3

DPP HOLDS CHINADEBATE UPON SO-CALLED ANTI-

SECESSION LAWANNIVERSARY.............3

CHAIRMAN SPEAKS ONTIBETANFREEDOM....................4 democrac &rogress

The Democratic Progressive Party held the 318 Big Parade

Protect Democracy, Stand against Forceful Annexation with the

emphasis on China-Taiwan relations.

DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun said if China continues not

listening to the Taiwanese people, the DPP will continue leading

protests against China in March each year.

Chinas conduct towards Taiwan is still hostile. In 1996, China

started a missile crisis to intervene in Taiwans first direct

democratic presidential election. Nevertheless, love for democracy

created a force in the Taiwanese people to repel the Chinesecoercion.

In 2000, Taiwan experienced its first democratic power

transfer, and Taiwan has kept governing on democratic principles.

Last year, Chinas National Peoples Congress passed the so-called

Anti-Secession Law, which legalized the use of force to impose

annexation on Taiwan, using non-peaceful means to solve the

cross strait issue.

Today, more than 700 missiles are aimed at the island, and

internationally, China continues to bully Taiwan, insisting on the

One China Principle.

The DPP made this special appeal to all the people in Taiwan

to come out and voice their opposition against a dictatorship that

not only poses a threat to the country, but to the entire Asia-Pacificregion.

DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun called on all Taiwanese to

participate in the 318 Big Parade, regardless of their political

affiliation, gender or background.

The DPP held this parade not to create a confrontation

between political camps, but to give unanimous voice to Taiwans

determination to protect its democracy and stand against forceful

annexation from China.

Facing Chinas bullying, the people of Taiwan stand bravely

against China, embracing the power of democracy to continue

walking this democratic road, DPP Chairman Yu said. As long as


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2 DEMOCRACY&PROGRESS318 Big Parade, continued from page 1

DEMOCRACY&PROGRESS

International DepartmentDemocratic Progressive Party

8F, No. 30, Pei-Ping East Rd.Taipei, Taiwan

t. 886-2-23929989 ext. 305f. 886-2-23214527

e-mail: [email protected]: http://www.dpp.org.tw

Director, International

Department: Bi-khim Hsiao

Deputy Director:Huai-hui Hsieh

Editor-in-Chief:Michael Fonte

Editor:Ping-Ya Hsu

China continues aiming missiles at Taiwan, each year in March Taiwanese people will

step out and protest against China so that the whole world is able to see Taiwans

determination to protect its democracy.

President Chen Shui-bian also participated in the 318 Big Parade, joining the

people at Ketagalan Boulevard, and making a final speech. President Chen said that the

Taiwanese people came out to the streets today to protest against China and to speak out

to the whole world, expressing their desire to protect democracy and stand against

forceful annexation.

President Chen Shui-bian noted during his speech that certain people do not dare to

scream at China, and they are opposed to Taiwanese people protesting on the streets,

even going so far as to say that the leader should not make trouble.

President Chen was referring to Mayor Ma Ying-jeous comments early in themorning, appealing to people not to protest against China.

Today, the leader is not me, President Chen said. The leader is the mighty 23

million people of Taiwan. To protest against China and to speak out to the whole world

is the fundamental right of every Taiwanese.

President Chen said March is the Month of Democracy for Taiwan. He noted

that the March 1990 student movement had a profound impact in changing Taiwans

political atmosphere; it was also in March, 1996 that the Taiwanese people directly

elected their first democratic president; six years ago on March 18, the Taiwanese

people successfully completed the power transfer of 2000; and in March, 2004, the

Taiwanese people voted for the nations first referendum, changing Taiwanese history.

Therefore, March has a historical meaning to Taiwan because it is the month that new

Taiwanese history was created.

President Chen declared that ceasing the functioning of the National UnificationCouncil and ceasing the application of the Guidelines for National Unification returns to

the Taiwanese people the freedom to choose.

Taiwan needs to become a normal country and protect its future, which means

that Taiwan must have its freedom to choose, President Chen said. Taiwan is a

sovereign, independent country. The sovereignty of Taiwan belongs to its 23 million

people and only 23 million people can decide their future. The countrys sovereignty

cannot be restrained or divided, nor can Taiwans future be determined by Chinas 1.3

billion people.

After President Chen delivered his remarks, Vice President Lu Hsiu-lian and

Premier Su Tseng-chang also stood together with the people. Both Lu and Su expressed

their determination to speak out against China, also calling for unity in Taiwan to

protect our democracy and to maintain our sovereignty.
mailto:[email protected]://www.dpp.org.tw/http://www.dpp.org.tw/mailto:[email protected]


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DEMOCRACY&PROGRESS3

DPP Survey:

How do Taiwanesefeel about CrossStrait Relations &Chinas MilitaryExpansion ?

The Survey Department of

the Democratic Progressive Party

conducted a March 8 through 10

survey concerning Cross Strait

Relations & Chinas Military

Expansion.

The survey results show that

60% of the population believes

Taiwans security is been threatened

under the condition of continuous

military expansion by China, and 59%

of the population believes Asian

security is also under threat.

Looking deeper at party

affiliation, regardless whether the

responder is pro-blue, pro-green or

independent, the majority believes that

Chinas military expansion is a threat

to both Taiwans security andAsian security.

Reading from the standpoint

of independence and unification,

those that wish for immediate

unification also feel that Chinas

military expansion threatens Taiwans

security.

The survey result also show

that 63.5% of the population believes

that the country needs to increase its

defensive military capabilities with the

contingency given the condition of

missile attack by China, and 31%believe it is not necessary.

This shows that it is possible

that China could play a factor in

disrupting Asian regional security, and

that the two opposition parties, KMT

and PFP, should pass the arms

package and strengthen Taiwans

defensive capabilities so that the

public menace by Chinas military is

lessened.

Looking deeper at party

affiliation, the majority of pro-green

DPP holds Chinadebate upon so-calledAnti-Secession Law

anniversary

and independents (85.6% and 62.9%

respectively) believe that Taiwan

needs to strengthen its defensive

military capabilities given the threat of

missile attack from China.This shows that the mainstream

value of the public is to pass the arms

package.The DPP held a China Policy

Debate on March 13, discussing the

topic, The Anti-Secession Law and

Cross Strait Meetings between

Political Parties.

In terms of views among the

pan-blue, there is a discrepancy

among pan-blue supporters. The ratio

between those pan-blue supporters

who believe the country needs

defensive military capabilities and

those who believe it is not necessary is

approximately 50% each.

DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun

sat with party members and scholars,

exchanging opinions regarding China

policy on the anniversary of the Anti-

Secession Law. Chairman Yu said

opposition parties, the KMT and the

PFP, aided China in lessening thecontroversy surrounding the law when

it was passed on March 14 last year.

Presently, cross strait exchanges

are very frequent, but the Chinesegovernment refuses to talk to

Taiwans government, and it has not

been possible to establish an official

channel of communication.Chinas National Peoples

Congress passed the law to legalize

the use of force against Taiwan, and,

surprisingly, afterwards Lian Chan

and James Soong paid visits to China.

In the country, they did not condemn

China for militarily threatening

Taiwan or express to the Beijing

authorities the thoughts of the majority

of Taiwanese in regards to this piece

of legislation.

Concerning this situation, 66%

of the population believes it damages

the interests of the Taiwanese people,

and only 25.4% doesnt believe it will

cause any damage.

Meanwhile, 59.9% of the

population agrees that China is using

Taiwanese businessmen in China,

political figures and social groups to

influence government policy inTaiwan, and 31.3% doesnt agree.

Lian and Soong did not ask

the Beijing authorities why they bully

Taiwan in the international arena.

They also didnt talk about the issues

of human rights and democracy while

they were visiting China.

Reading from the standpoint of

unification or independence,

29.4% approve of cross strait

unification, 50% approve of Taiwan

independence, and 12.6% believe in

keeping the status quo.The DPP believes it is

extremely regretful the way opposition

parties acted in China last year.

During the China Policy Debate,

Chairman Yu said the DPP does not

reject the idea of engaging in dialogue

with China, but it must be carried outon equal grounds. He said dialogue

must also be based on Taiwans

national interest, cross strait peace,

and the consolidation of democracy in

Taiwan as well as promoting

democratization in China.

Comparing data from 2003 up to

present, the percentage of those

approving independence has reached a

new high this year.

In 2004, the percentage of those

favoring unification reached its lowest(24.5%) and afterwards, it has

remained above 30%.

In this times survey, the

percentage favoring unification

lowered to 29.4%.

This poll shows that ceasing the

functioning of the National

Unification Council and the National

Guidelines for Unification are aligned

with public opinion.

The DPP is not casting aside

any dialogue or negotiation with

China through whatever channels

necessary. The only condition

acceptable to the DPP is that the

Chinese continued on page 5


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DPP Chairman speakson Tibetan Uprising Day

Remarks made by Chairman Yu Shyi-kun on the 47th

Anniversaryof Tibetan Uprising Day, March 10, 2006

Today is the 47th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising,

and the Democratic Progressive Party remembers in mourning

the 80,000 and more people who sacrificed their lives fighting for

freedom and independence against the forces of Chinas Peoples

Liberation Army.

We would also like to express our deepest sympathy to

the Tibetans living in exile after the Tibetan Uprising, as well as

to pay our deepest respects to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and

the exiled government of Tibet under His Holiness leadership.

Compared with Tibet, we are able to enjoy the valuable asset of freedom, as we have been able to establish ademocratic system of government in Taiwan. Nevertheless, today we are remembering the 47 th anniversary of the Tibetan

Uprising, especially the 17 Articles Agreement between China and Tibet, signed in 1951 and which promised to give a high

degree of autonomy to the Tibetan people.

The agreement promised not to force a separation of church and state upon Tibet, but, immediately after the

agreement was signed, Chinese forces invaded Tibet and broke their promise. This is a Tibetan version of the one country,

two systems experience.

The Tibetan people have endured Chinese imperialism through forceful annexation. Tibetan lifestyle and culture

have been assimilated and destroyed at the same time by Communist China.

Recently, using the excuse of economic development, China has allowed large-scale immigration of Han people into

Tibet, using them to construct a railroad into Tibet. This excuse of Han people insertion shows that China intends to keep its

long-term plan of seizing Tibet.

China has said to Taiwan that all Chinese people must unite, but showing their true colors in the Tibetan case as a

regime with feudal and imperialistic interests, they have pursued a long-term invasion. Everyone can identify with thesuffering of the Tibetan people as Taiwan has also experienced threats by China.

Former President John F. Kennedy has said that freedom is a whole, and if one person doesnt have freedom, then the

whole of mankind cannot be free. Based on these words, Tibet is not free, and in truth, the whole of humanity is not free.

Furthermore, the freedom of the Taiwanese people has been threatened, and thus mankinds freedom has also been threatened.thWe would like to mention a special victim, one who since the age of six has been missing, and this person is the 11

Panchen Lama. He is a 17 year-old youth who is still imprisoned by the Chinese government. This violation of human rights

shows that the regime of China is uncivilized in nature.

We solemnly condemn Chinas feudalist and imperialistic interests shown by the invasion and oppression of Tibet,

appealing to the Chinese government to release all Tibetan activists who have been incarcerated, asking that the Chinese

government respect the religious freedom of the Tibetan people, allow democracy in their political system and build a free and

independent country.

This year is also the 10th anniversary of the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis. The number of missiles across the Strait

pointed at Taiwan has climbed to 820, which shows the intention of China to forcefully challenge democracy and freedom in

Taiwan.

We appeal to the international community, which cherishes peace and opposes Chinese imperialism, to continue to

show concern for victims such as those in Tibet, Taiwan and internal ethnic groups, and to voice publicly their support in

order to collectively make China walk out of imperialism, increase mankinds freedom and promote world peace.

In the future, together with the international community, we will continue paying close attention to the fate of Tibet

and the issue of human rights in China. We will continue expressing public support to the Tibetan people in their quest for

freedom and independence. We would also like to send our best wishes to the Tibetan people, hoping that they ultimately

obtain the blessing of Buddha and achieve greater political freedom.


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DPP holds China debate upon so-called Anti-Secession Law anniversary

continued from page 3

Chinese government should face the reality of Taiwans sovereignty and independence, respect the democratic

government of Taiwan, and any advancement on the cross strait dialogue should be carried out through reciprocal

consultation with the Taiwanese government.Also during the debate, DPP Legislator Julian Kuo suggested to Chairman Yu that he should consider the

possibility of a China visit. Legislator Kuo said the DPP internally has an iron stick, but at the same time, it should also

have a wooden stick, and like playing golf, maybe using the wooden stick will hit the ball farther. Legislator Kuo also

said that facing Chinas double-standard policy of hard and soft play, the DPP should use the carrot and stick approach,

emphasizing Taiwans sovereignty and independence, but not closing any dialogue or communication in order to seek

whats best for Taiwans interest.

Chang Wu-ueh, associate professor of the Graduate Institute of China Studies of Tamkang University analyzed

the pre-conditions laid out by China before the three political parties could establish dialogue last year. They were: (1) to

insist on the 92 consensus and, (2) to oppose Taiwan independence. Professor Chang said that a platform of

communication and exchange was established between the KMT, the PFP and the Chinese Communist Party last year

hoping to move outside of the model of exchange established by the DPP government. All parties also wanted to

implement their tactics on the Taiwanese people in order to actively influence the opinion of the Taiwanese people in

elections, as well as change the political atmosphere.

Across the Strait, the Chinese leaders gave the appearance that they were being more flexible. The fact remained,

however, that at the end of the talks, China still held on to declaring that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. In

Taiwan, the KMT and the PFP appeared to be powerful parties that could deal with the cross strait situation better than

the DPP.

This tactic has proven successful. The DPP suffered a huge blow while President Chen and the DPP were

isolated. According to Yan Jiann-fa, a debate panelist from the Research and Planning Committee of the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs, the Chinese engaged with the other political parties to isolate President Chen and the DPP, thus creating

a wedge in domestic politics.

Luo Cheng-fang, deputy chief of policy administration of the DPP, said the people of Taiwan are unlikely to

accept Chinas strategy in the long-term.

Lai I-chung, director of the DPPs China Affairs Department, said that the DPP will pursue cross strait peace,

and if dialogue is engaged with China, it should always be for the best interests of the Taiwanese people. Director Lai

said that China will soon have to face the mainstream opinion in Taiwan that Taiwans future should be decided by its

people.

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DPP Newsletter Mar2006

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