News Reference Material
Date: March 5, 2022
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (March 5, 2022) stated that the “Two Sessions” of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) (i.e. the National People’s Congress, NPC; and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, CPPCC) are political events focusing on domestic issues; the Government Work Report presented at the events by the State Council was aimed at strengthening governance work as the nation faces ongoing challenges and hardships in the development of its political, economic, and social environment at home and abroad. We believe that the Beijing authorities should concentrate more on improving people's livelihood, well-being, and rights, which are the areas of real concern to their people. They should also promote democratic reforms, the principle of checks and balances, and an oversight mechanism for the government. Moreover, they should prevent the arbitrary decisions made by a small circle from causing governance risks. The mainland Chinese authorities should respect their public opinion rather than resorting to surveillance or oppression; meanwhile, they should take responsibility instead of undermining the rules-based international order. Only these changes will be helpful for the CCP to weather the complex and severe situation at the moment.
In response to the CCP reiterating its "resolution to solve the Taiwan issue," the MAC emphasized that the Republic of China is a sovereign state. The public opinion in Taiwan resolutely opposes the political framework, military intimidation, and diplomatic suppression imposed by China. The Beijing authorities should recognize this reality, face this fact, and respond concretely to the international concern over the threat it poses to the security of the Taiwan Strait; otherwise, all of their policy discourses, construction of political frameworks, unilaterally passed laws and regulations, and united front operations will simply end up pointless and in vain. Democratic Taiwan is a force for peace and stability in the region. Our government vows to firmly defend national sovereignty, security, freedom, and democracy. We also pledge to continue deepening cooperation with like-minded countries to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.