Date: May 29, 2020
MAC Press Release No. 32
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) expresses deep dissatisfaction and regret over the unacceptable same old tune played by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on using legal means and military force to curb independence moves and push for unification at a symposium held on Anti-Secession Law. The MAC solemnly emphasizes that Beijing's biased policy towards Taiwan disregards both the firm opposition of Taiwan's 23 million people to "one country, two systems" and questions raised within the international society. In addition, CCP’s constant advocacy of "anti-democratic and non-peaceful" policies and legal systems undermines the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
The MAC stresses that the CCP introduced the Anti-Secession Law 15 years ago as a carte blanche to legitimize the use force against Taiwan, and intended to determine the future of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait by a unilaterally imposed legislation. Such an extremely unwise and mistaken move has and will never be accepted by Taiwan. The symposium convened today (May 29, 2020) by the chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee was attended by participants from the military, foreign and Taiwan-related affairs circles, as well as the united front work units. The announcement made at the symposium, indicating that the Mainland will continue to use legal and military means against Taiwan, simply confirms Beijing’s perpetual irrationality of unilateral domination. Furthermore, the Mainland's centralized political system poses a growing threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait and Asia-Pacific security.
The MAC sternly warns the CCP authorities to not repeatedly misjudge the situation. Any law or deterrent measure that disrespects public opinion, is inconsistent with democratic human rights, or resorts to military actions violates the principles of international law and is ultimately counterproductive. The international community should pay close attention to developments of this serious situation.
The Republic of China is a sovereign state. Taiwan has never been part of the People's Republic of China in history, under international law, or considering the reality across the Taiwan Strait. The people of Taiwan will never choose authoritarianism over democracy or submit to violence. In the face of intensified operations by the CCP in its various Taiwan-related works, the government will closely watch developments in the Taiwan Strait, strengthen self-defenses capabilities, and steadfastly safeguard our national sovereignty, democracy, and freedom. Use of military force and unilateral decisions are never the solutions. Instead, a return to "peace, parity, democracy, and dialogue" as advocated by President Tsai Ing-wen is the best approach for interaction between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.