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Striving for creation of a Republic of
Taiwan
By Ng Chiautong 黃昭堂
Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010, Page 8
World United Formosans for Independence (WUFI) was formed on Jan. 1, 1970, by
five Taiwanese independence organizations in Japan, the US, Canada, Europe and
Taiwan. They were later joined by an organization from South America. This event
symbolized the coming together of Taiwanese at home and overseas, and it created
quite a sensation.
The Taiwanese independence movement faced different pressures here and abroad.
Overseas, it was referred to as an independence movement rather than a
democratic movement, while in Taiwan, it was referred to as a democratic
movement.
Increasing Taiwanese consciousness is a principle common to the movement in
Taiwan and abroad. Freedom, democracy and human rights are values respected and
upheld by the alliance. Regardless of whether the movement was viewed as an
independence or a democratic movement, they shared the same resistance to the
invasion of Taiwan by the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
However, slogans like “overthrow the alien regime in the Republic of China [ROC]
and establish an independent Republic of Taiwan” were a lot louder abroad than
in Taiwan.
In the past, the Taiwanese independence movement was based on Taiwanese
nationalism and the view that Taiwanese consciousness had to be raised to the
level of Taiwanese nationalism to be able to resist Chinese nationalism.
As for the view that the ROC government was an alien regime, the democratization
of Taiwan and the government’s move toward localization weakened the calls for
overturning the ROC system and were replaced by calls for ending the ROC.
Electoral participation increased the number of independence and democracy
activists in the government, which became a problem for the independence
movement, which was trying to determine how to deal with the “ROC system.”
Opinions differed on whether Taiwan was sovereign or whether its sovereignty
remained undetermined.
Maybe a new slogan aimed at reinforcing unity could be “Taiwanese working
together for Taiwanese sovereignty.”
In 1991, following the lifting of the government’s black list, WUFI moved its
headquarters to Taiwan. Following the move, WUFI decided on a “scissors theory”
combining mass movements with electoral activities. While this strategy does not
seem to have been successful and cracks are beginning to appear, it has had a
positive influence on integration and cooperation with other social groups.
In 1987, WUFI changed its Chinese name from the “alliance for Taiwanese
independence” (台灣獨立聯盟) to the “alliance for Taiwanese independence and nation
building” (台灣獨立建國聯盟). When WUFI was just established, it — like several other
independence movements — made the founding of a new and independent Taiwanese
republic its goal.
The Republic of Taiwan does not seek to inherit the ROC system, nor does it seek
independence from the PRC. WUFI has always strived for the foundation of a new
nation, the Republic of Taiwan.
Participating in public elections under the ROC framework, politicians can
easily become integrated in the ROC system and work for the continued existence
of the ROC. Concern for the future of Taiwan demands that we stress that the
newly founded Taiwanese state would not be a continuation of China’s, nor would
it mean separating from China. This is the only way to build a completely new
and safe position for Taiwan.
Ng Chiau-tong is chairman of the World United Formosans for
Independence.
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