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DPP condemns
China¡¦s crackdown on protesters
¡¥SAFETY NET¡¦:The party said the government should
incorporate democracy and human rights in pacts, which would encourage China¡¦s
democratic transformation
By Vincent Y. Chao / Staff Reporter
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday released a strongly worded
statement condemning the use of force against participants of the ¡§Jasmine
Revolution¡¨ in China.
Chinese authorities have cracked down hard on the sporadic protests, inspired by
the protest movement sweeping much of North Africa and parts of the Middle East,
rounding up dozens of activists and human rights lawyers last month amid calls
for protests in as many as 18 major Chinese cities.
The DPP¡¦s statement came one day after Premier Wu Den-yih (§d´°¸q) said Beijing
should embrace democratic reform.
In the DPP statement, the party said Taipei should use the government¡¦s
promotion of cross-strait ties to incorporate values of democracy and human
rights into agreements with Beijing to encourage ¡§China¡¦s democratic
transformation.¡¨
¡§We ask that the government support the Chinese pro--democracy activists with
-substantive -measures. It would show Taiwan¡¦s firm resolve to uphold the values
of democracy, freedom and human rights,¡¨ the statement read.
These ideals are ¡§universal values and should not be taken lightly,¡¨ it said.
¡§China has signed the two international human rights covenants ¡K but continues
to make these violations of human rights and impose restrictions on speech,¡¨ it
added.
Beijing has signed, but not ratified, the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights.
Taiwanese government officials, including Wu, on Tuesday spoke in favor of
political reform for China, but have stopped short of criticizing Beijing¡¦s
crackdown on protesters and the media.
Wu told the legislature that despite China¡¦s economic rise, ¡§it still had much
room for improvement in aspects of freedom, human rights, democracy and judicial
[independence],¡¨ adding that China should meet the protests ¡§more positively.¡¨
The DPP statement followed earlier remarks by DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (½²^¤å)
on Feb. 21, who called on Taiwan to give more attention to the ¡§Jasmine
Revolution¡¨ in China, calling democracy a ¡§safety net¡¨ for Taiwan in its
dealings with Beijing.
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