Press Release No. 005
On the eve of the 32nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Incident, 3 June 2021, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) issued the following statement:
Democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law are the ways of life and universal values treasured by Taiwan and the world alike. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities, until today, have failed to address the historical lessons of the Tiananmen Square Incident. They have also shied away from reflecting on the mistakes of their violent rule, for which they have yet to extend sincere apologies. The MAC expressed its regret and called on the other side of the Taiwan Strait to properly implement people-centered political reforms, refrain from stifling people's call for democracy, and promptly transfer power back to its people.
The nature of the CCP regime is a one-party dictatorship. To consolidate the power of its leadership core and ensure perpetual rule, the CCP has resorted to coercive management of its people through censorship, social control and surveillance, and suppression of dissidents. Meanwhile, the CCP has employed heavy-handed means such as the "re-education camps" to curb freedom of religion and human rights; and on top that, it has also scrapped the "one country, two systems" pledge of autonomy for Hong Kong, creating a chilling effect in Hong Kong’s civil society and subjugating the city. The Beijing authorities’ growing violation of basic human rights and their non-democratic and non-peaceful actions have completely deviated from universal values and international rules. These actions have not only sharpened the contradictions deeply ingrained in its society and needlessly complicated institutional reforms, but also heightened the risk of external conflict and posed a threat to regional security and stability.
Only when the CCP authorities seriously contemplate and implement mechanisms to safeguard social justice, democratic reforms, human rights, and freedoms, will the cross-Strait institutional differences marked by “authoritarian vs. democratic” be gradually bridged. This is also how the two sides across the Taiwan Strait can achieve the spirit of mutual respect and understanding while raising the possibility of resolving differences. Furthermore, the CCP should abandon its aggressive political claims on Taiwan as well as the diplomatic suppression and military threats towards Taiwan. Rather, it should face up to Taiwan's proposal of "peace, parity, democracy, and dialogue" as the key to benign cross-Strait interactions. This is the only way to advancing the well-being of people on both sides across the Taiwan Strait. In addition, the MAC called on the Beijing authorities once again to promptly release Mr. Li Ming-che, who underwent trials without due process in mainland China and remained imprisoned over the past four years, and allow him to return home to Taiwan safely.