DPP Newsletter Aug2012
DPP Newsletter Aug2012
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prehend China fully and be able to interact with them. Chair Su was the first one to issue the idea of a Taiwan Consensus in April of 2011, and the contents of the proposal included three major issues: the use of dialogue to understand, gain trust and replace hostility; the use peaceful means to consolidate democracy; and the use democracy to determine Taiwans future. If both sides understand each other, damages can be prevented, he said. The interaction and mutual understanding we speak about is in reality here. Chair Su, however, emphasized that there are several aspects in the DPPs approach towards China policy. He cited the example of President Ma Ying-jeous approval rating at 15% because of his inability to confront Chinas bullying internationally. The public in Taiwan has questioned whether our government is determined to protect our sovereignty, and this adds more expectations towards the DPP, he said. He foresees the DPP will become increasingly important and the people will have higher expectations of the DPP. Internationally, Chair Su said, President Ma is seen as more China-inclined, and China has even made statements internationally that the Ma Administration stands on the same side as China in the issue of the Diaoyutai dispute. In regards to the Diaoyutai dispute, Chair Su highlighted that the DPPs standpoint is completely against conflict. He said that in regards to sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea, the DPP is different from the China-inclined Ma Administration. The DPP advocates sovereignty, but without provocation, and supports the freedom of navigation in the region as well as a multilateral code of conduct in the South China Seas. DPP not ironclad
AUGUST 2012 Chair Su noted in the interview that even though the DPP has persistence over certain issues regarding China policy, they are not ironclad. He said, This year, we are facing the changing of leadership in China and the presidential election in the United States. The rebalancing of the U.S. towards Asia represents their value in Asias regional security. The DPP must not remain outside in the regional and international responsibility to do our utmost for Taiwan and for the Taiwanese peoples interests. However, Chair Su said that the DPP has the right to be suspicious when there is a saying of two sides, one country, which was issued by Jia Qinglin (Chairman of Chinas National Committee of the Peoples Political Consultative Conference). He explained, the KMT has said one China, different interpretations, but China has taken it a step further by taking out different interpretations and not only using one China but also one country. The opportunity for President Ma Ying-jeou to always say China is the Republic of China has disappeared. Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country that persists in a democratic system, wants to preserve freedom and respect for human rights, he emphasized. This is a consensus and the highest values placed by the 23 million people in Taiwan. The people of Taiwan highly cherishes our democratic achievements, and these are values that will never be abandoned. Under the circumstance of not abandoning this principle of faith, in the interaction between Taiwan and China, we can carry out commerce and trade, but in everything that we sell or buy, there are only certain items that we do not sell, and that is freedom, democracy and sovereignty. Lastly, Chair Su expressed his viewpoints about the current changes in China. He said that he believes China is constantly changing, citing the example of the past inability of Chinese people PAGE 2
to travel abroad, but now this has changed with more Chinese people getting richer. He mentioned that even Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan have asked him to take pictures with them when in the past, they did not dare to, and this reflects that China is becoming more open, he said. From his experience in seeing the social changes in Taiwan in the past, he said that he can see that in the hearts and minds of people, home and reform is
AUGUST 2012 unstoppable. Upon seeing China becoming better economically, he said the DPP also hopes that both sides will have better relations in the future, hoping that China will be open democratically and have respect for human rights.
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line with the principles of international arbitration when occurrences of conflict arises between Taiwanese business investments in China. Nevertheless, the agreement signed failed to include any human rights clauses. Joseph Wu, executive director of the DPPs Policy Research Committee held a press conference expressing regret that the agreements signed at the ChiangChen meeting still remained under the One China Framework. Commenting on the agreement, Joseph Wu said: Taiwan was hoping to use a third-party international arbitration system and receive human
AUGUST 2012 rights guarantees from China, but we didnt achieve any of these goals. Adding protection to Taiwanese businessmen as an addendum in the form of consensus and using vague text shows that there is a lack of legal validity to the agreement. Taiwans basic demands are not to receive preferential treatment in China. What we wanted was that, just like Chinese people coming to Taiwan and receiving the guarantees under Taiwanese law, the same treatment is given in China, which is following the international standards in human rights. We are only requesting equality, and unfortunately, we did not see it in the consensus addendum.
AUGUST 2012
AUGUST 2012
DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang met with a delegation of think tank experts from the U.S. on Aug. 17 at the DPP Headquarters to exchange views on Asian regional security and cross strait relations. In regards to security in the Asian region, Chair Su Tseng-chang said that today marked the 30th anniversary of the U.S.-China August 17 Communique and while the U.S. and China signed this agreement, President Ronal Reagan also gave six assurances to Taiwan, which included providing defensive weapons to Taiwan without prior counseling from Beijing. Chair Su said he was grateful to the United States for creating the Taiwan Relations Act along with the six assurances, providing Taiwan with defense capabilities in order to maintain regional stability and security in the Asian region, but at the same time, protecting Taiwans democracy.
He also noted that Taiwan wishes to become self-reliant and to show its determination for selfdefense with an adequate defense budget. He further said he welcomed the renewed interest of the U.S. towards Asia, saying that he hoped the U.S., just like 30 years ago, continues to adhere and ensure Taiwans security and regional stability. In order to avoid unnecessary conflicts the trend of world peace and stability in Asia Pacific are also in line with U.S. interests, he said. Guests of the meeting included U.S. Navy Admiral Gary Roughead, distinguished visiting fellow at Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution; Ms. Bonnie Glaser, senior fellow with the Freeman Chair in China Studies from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); and Mr. Alan Romberg, director of the East Asia program at the Stimson Center, among others.
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AUGUST 2012
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