Mainland Affairs Council--Press Release
December 6, 2007, No. 112
China has recently made incessant use of the opportunities of
diplomatic and international cooperation dialogue to defame and discredit
Taiwan's planned referendum on its bid to join the United Nations (UN), as well
as to coerce the United States, Japan, European Union and other countries into
wrongly criticizing and making false accusations against democratic activities
in Taiwan. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) solemnly indicates that such
manipulation of international politics by China to win international recognition
for its "one China" principle and its peremptory suppression against Taiwan are
the main factors that have created regional tensions and sabotaged harmonious
cross-strait relations. Under such circumstances, there is a steadily increasing
dissatisfaction with China among the Taiwanese people.
The MAC indicates that since this year, China has continued
to seek cooperation with the U.S. in an attempt to suppress Taiwan's efforts in
promoting a UN referendum campaign, leading the U.S. to misinterpret Taiwans UN
bid and the future development of the cross-strait situation. Moreover, the
several statements issued by U.S. officials regarding the democratic operations
in Taiwan have seriously hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people. The MAC
believes that if the U.S., a long-time ally of the democratic values of Taiwan,
echoes Beijing by sacrificing Taiwan as a tool for settling disputes over recent
incidents, such as those involving the U.S.s most famous aircraft carrier, the
Kitty Hawk as well as the Dalai Lamas U.S. visit, it will cause the government
and people of Taiwan to express regret.
The MAC solemnly reiterates that Taiwan is an independent
sovereign country that has never been a part of the People's Republic of China.
It is a clear and indisputable fact that Taiwan and China have no jurisdiction
over each other. The holding of a planned referendum on Taiwans UN bid is to
reflect the fact that the 23 million Taiwanese people hope to highlight their
collective will through the democratic process, so that the international
community can understand China's peremptory actions that are aimed at imposing
political isolation on the Taiwanese people. The democratic referendum of this
kind is aimed at refusing Chinas annexation of Taiwan and safeguarding the
status quo in the Taiwan Strait, rather than changing the cross-strait status
quo. As President Chen Shui-bian stated a few days ago, Chinas vicious
mischaracterization of the referendum on Taiwans UN bid as "de jure Taiwan
independence" is an attempt to trump up charges condemning Taiwan. The Taiwanese
government urges that the U.S. government and other members of the international
community should not dance to China's tune, nor should they aid China's
"hegemonic rise" by sacrificing the interests of the Taiwanese people.
Regarding the comments likely to be made by U.S. officials
later tonight on Taiwan's democratic activities, the MAC urges the U.S.
government to clearly fathom and firmly oppose China's hegemonic intentions in
the region, as well as to face up to the threats posed by China to the status
quo in the Taiwan Strait and the likelihood of Chinas annexation of Taiwan by
military force. Chinas such intentions run entirely counter to its "harmonious
development" rhetoric and have triggered suspicion among neighboring countries.
They are also disadvantageous to the strategic interests of the U.S. in the
Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. should listen closely to what China says and, even
more, observe what China does.
The MAC hopes that the U.S. will respect the value of
Taiwan's existence and maintain its long-term benign and cooperative
relationship with Taiwan in the spheres of democratic development and economic
and trade interactions. Moreover, the MAC hopes the U.S. will support the
efforts of the Taiwanese people, respect Taiwan's democracy, and cooperate with
Taiwan to jointly promote the peaceful and stable development of the
cross-strait situation. It is hoped that the U.S. will avoid being repeatedly
misled by China; otherwise, autocratic China will even more brazenly suppress
and threaten democratic Taiwan.