MAC Press Release No. 014
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) expressed solemn protest today (August 10, 2022) against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) imposing military intimidation and pressure on Taiwan for days and issuing the so-called White Paper on Taiwan amid the tensions to propagate its push for unification, an old tune that violates international law and cross-Strait realities. This paper is filled with lies that are "wishful thinking and a complete disregard of the truth,” including misleading comments about the so-called post-unification development prospects of Taiwan and attempts to shift the blame for the CCP’s hostile encroachment on Taiwan’s sovereignty. Such reckless and unwise political maneuvers are further evidence of the CCP’s belligerent mindset and vicious schemes of using force and sabotaging cross-Strait and regional peace; meanwhile, these aggressions perfectly demonstrate that the CCP’s Taiwan work has long been unsuccessful, rigid, and marred by serious limitations. We solemnly reiterate Taiwan’s commitment that "the two sides across the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other" and that we will resolutely reject the "one country, two systems"; these are the cross-Strait status quo and reality at the moment.
The MAC stressed that the Republic of China is a sovereign state; the CCP regime has not ruled the Taiwan proper and the outlying islands of Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu even for one day. The CCP has been falsely claiming sovereignty over Taiwan with its truth-defying "one China” principle and misinterpretation of the United Nations General Assembly resolution, making it the target of severe condemnation and resolute opposition from the international community and many democratic countries. The CCP’s White Paper and its so-called "overall policy for Taiwan in the new era" are nothing but an old tune and part of its routine propaganda campaign built on preposterous lies used to appease the public at home ahead of the 20th CCP National Congress. The Beijing authorities are under the delusion that they can chart the course of Taiwan’s development, but this will only be a futile attempt and has only sparked strong antagonism in the people of Taiwan. The mainstream public opinion in Taiwan has already emphatically repudiated the "one country, two systems." Taiwan's future can only be decided by its 23 million people, and we will never accept the endgame set for cross-Strait relations by an authoritarian regime.
The MAC indicated that democratic Taiwan is a responsible stakeholder of our region, whereas the CCP is the primary troublemaker wreaking havoc and creating crises and risks. The MAC solemnly warns that the Beijing authorities must immediately cease their saber-rattling and spread of false claims against Taiwan. Moreover, the CCP should have a clear understanding of Taiwan’s position and bottom line, namely our "four commitments": the commitment to a free and democratic constitutional system, the commitment that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China should not be subordinate to each other, the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty, and the commitment that the future of the Republic of China (Taiwan) must be decided in accordance with the will of the Taiwanese people. Our government pledges to assess the situation with caution and firmly uphold the line of defense for democracy and freedom. Most importantly, we call on our democratic allies around the world to continue to support Taiwan and jointly curb the bellicose military adventurism and irresponsible provocations of authoritarian regimes.