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Independence group to
establish union against ‘one China’
By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
An advocacy group focusing on opposition to the so-called “one China” principle
and the erosion of Taiwan’s sovereignty under President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九)
administration is set to be established on Monday, the group’s founding members
told a press conference yesterday.
The Anti-One China Principle Union is a non-partisan group cofounded by
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Mark Chen (陳唐山), Taiwan Solidarity
Union (TSU) Legislator Hsu Chung-hsin (許忠信) and former DPP lawmaker Chai
Trong-rong (蔡同榮).
Acknowledgement of the “one China” principle — the core strategy of China’s
Taiwan policy — could jeopardize Taiwan’s sovereignty, democracy, freedom and
human rights, they said.
“However, the Ma administration’s pro-Beijing stance and the DPP’s failure to
monitor the administration and its tendency to move to a more China-friendly
position have aroused concern over the gradual erosion of sovereignty,” Chen
said.
Chai will serve as the president of the union, with Chen and Hsu as vice
presidents, Hsu said, adding that other notable members include former premier
Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃) and former Examination Yuan president Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文).
Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and former presidential adviser Peng
Ming-min (彭明敏) are to serve as consultants.
Chai and Chen criticized former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) for his “pro-Beijing
position.”
Responding to the criticism yesterday afternoon in a radio interview with Cheng
Hong-yi (鄭弘儀), Hsieh denied that he “had betrayed Taiwan’s independence
movement” and said that “closer engagement with China did not mean surrender.”
Hsieh, who advocates a moderate China policy with his initiative of
“constitutions with different interpretations,” described himself as a
“pragmatic idealist” and very different from the “hardliners” of the
pro-independence wing, such as Chai and Chen.
“They insist on their belief, while I’m an idealist who focuses on reality. We
should work together to strive for Taiwan’s dignity,” Hsieh said.
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