News Reference Material
Date: 2022-07-07
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) made the following response today (July 7, 2022) regarding plan of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to hold the Straits Forum and invite individuals to participate as representatives of Taiwan. The MAC stated that the Straits Forum is a large-scale platform hosted by the CCP to advance its united front work against Taiwan. Over the years, the CCP has been using this event to publicize its Taiwan policy of "opposing independence and promoting unification" and the outcomes of its united front work against Taiwan. The government's consistent policy position on the forum is explained as follows:
1. Prohibiting Straits Forum related events from being held in Taiwan and banning individuals and organizations in Taiwan from co-hosting forum-related activities with mainland China. The Straits Forum's nature as a platform of the CCP's united front work remains unchanged regardless of its manifestation in person or by video. Mainland China is prohibited from holding affiliated or follow-up forum events in Taiwan. Local governments, individuals, or groups in Taiwan are banned from co-hosting forum-related activities in Taiwan with mainland China or resulting in any de facto convention of the forum in Taiwan.
2. Prohibiting central government personnel from participating, discouraging local governments in Taiwan from attending, and calling on civil organizations in Taiwan to not lightly participate. The government prohibits personnel of central government agencies and their subordinate units from attending any forum-related events. It also discourages personnel of local governments from participating in related activities. The public and civil organizations in Taiwan are advised against lightly participating in related activities.
3. Prohibiting engagement in "democratic consultations" that eliminate ROC sovereignty or promotion of the "one country, two systems model for Taiwan." Any agencies (institutions), individuals, groups, and political parties are prohibited from participating, in any form, in activities related to the "one country, two systems model for Taiwan" or "democratic consultations."
4. When engaged in cross-Strait exchanges, the people of Taiwan should comply with the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (hereinafter referred to as the "Cross-Strait Act") and related regulations to avoid violation of the laws. The MAC advises the people of Taiwan to comply with the Cross-Strait Act and related regulations when conducting cross-Strait exchanges to prevent the CCP's united front infiltration of Taiwan from undermining our sovereignty and democracy. The people of Taiwan are banned from signing documents such as agreements or memoranda with mainland China without authorization. They are also prohibited from engaging in collaboration or forming alliances with mainland China against the law.
The MAC reiterated that it is the government's established policy position to promote normal exchanges between the people across the Taiwan Strait. The government supports cross-Strait exchanges conducted with parity and dignity, compliant with regulations, and not subject to any political preconditions. Recently, the international community has been paying close attention to the CCP's escalating political suppression, military intimidation, and other aggressions aimed at Taiwan in a bid to undermine and divide our democratic society. The MAC called on all sectors in Taiwan to be aware of the overall situation in the Taiwan Strait, heed the perceptions of fellow citizens, clearly understand the direction of public opinion, and refrain from cooperating with the CCP's united front maneuvers of Taiwan so as to jointly safeguard the nation's sovereignty, freedom, and democracy.