MAC Press Release No. 025
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) issued the following press release today (October 16, 2022) in response to the remarks of the leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the 20th CCP National Congress. His remarks were the consistent rhetoric of the party, including its determination to fully implement the so-called "Overall Policy for Taiwan" and refusal to renounce the use of force against Taiwan. The MAC solemnly responded to these statements with Taiwan's resolute position President Tsai stated in her National Day address this year. That is, we believe that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region is a shared responsibility between the two sides. We will continue to resolutely uphold our "Four Commitments" and enhance our "Four Resiliences." We are committed to defending our national sovereignty without ever yielding to pressure; we are determined to preserve our freedom and democracy without ever making compromises. We want to make clear that armed confrontation is absolutely not an option for our two sides. These beliefs are the consensus of both Taiwanese people and the international community; they are also a reality that the CCP authorities must face up to at this moment.
The MAC pointed out that the CCP is currently facing dramatic changes in global circumstances and socioeconomic challenges at home, but none of these complexities have helped the party develop any new lines of thinking or sensible judgments with regard to its Taiwan policy. The Republic of China is a sovereign state. Taiwan has never been part of the People's Republic of China. Taiwanese people will never accept any political endgames unilaterally set by the CCP, be it the "1992 Consensus under the ‘one China’ principle" or "one country, two systems"; meanwhile, we believe that only the 23 million people of Taiwan have the right to decide our future. The MAC urged the CCP authorities to stop imposing their political framework and cease all acts of military coercion and aggression against Taiwan. Instead, the CCP should respect Taiwanese people’s commitment to our sovereignty and free and democratic way of life. They should also adopt an attitude of rationality, equality, and mutual respect to resolve our differences peacefully and pragmatically. Only through these changes can there be a foundation for resuming constructive interaction across the Taiwan Strait.
The MAC indicated that the CCP hopes to achieve national rejuvenation through consolidating its ideology and carrying out its so-called "Chinese-style modernization.” However, unless it operates on a truly democratic system, conducts reforms on its governance, establishes a democratic and free civil society, follows the rules-based international order, and approaches cross-Strait relations with new levels of thinking, the CCP will never be able to grasp or respond to any changes in situation, let alone to maintain the initiative and the ability to steer in cross-Strait relations. The MAC will continue to closely monitor the internal and external developments in mainland China following its 20th National Congress, to which we will make careful assessments and respond with caution.