Taiwan Independence as Ruling Premise: Tsai Ing-wen's Fantasy

Taiwan Independence as Ruling Premise:
Tsai Ing-wen's Fantasy
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
July 21, 2014

Summary: Tsai Ing-wen has responded to proposals to freeze the Taiwan independence party platform. On the one hand she advocates Taiwan independence. On the other hand she refuses to nullify the Taiwan independence party platform. Tsai Ing-wen is unwilling to freeze the Taiwan independence party platform. She is also unwilling to discuss freezing the Taiwan independence party platform when other party members raise the issue. Therefore if the Democratic Progressive returns to power, cross-Strait relations will once again be frozen. When the public on Taiwan understands this political scenario, the political futures of Tsai Ing-wen and the DPP will be a forgone conclusion. They will be frozen, right alongside the future of the public on Taiwan. Confronted with this frozen future, is Tsai Ing-wen determined to go her own way in perpetuity?

Full Text Below:

It is the eve of the DPP Party Congress. Tsai Ing-wen, who has long been a master of ambiguity, responded to proposals to freeze the Taiwan independence party platform. She said, "Political parties are organisms. They grow and they change." This seemed to suggest that the Taiwan independence party platform could be changed. She added, that "Democracy and progress have been our core values since the founding of the party. They will never change." She said "Our position on national sovereignty and the future of Taiwan will be decided by the people, That too will never change." This raises two questions. Has Taiwan independence been a core value of the DPP since its founding? Is clinging to Taiwan independence consistent with "the people deciding?" Tsai Ing-wen did not say, She offered no explanation. On the one hand, Tsai Ing-wen spoke of "change." On the other hand she spoke of "absolutely no change." What, if anything, will be changed? What, if anything, will be maintained? Nothing she said made any sense. We can only conclude that Tsai was sincere when she said the DPP "will never change" its commitment to Taiwan independence. By contrast, the Taiwan independence party platform is merely a side issue.

Two. Tsai Ing-wen dismissed claims that "If the DPP does not forsake Taiwan independence, it will not be able to deal with cross-Strait relations." She called this a "myth." She questioned the definition of Taiwan independence. She asked, "Are we not a sovereign and independent nation? Do not the vast majority of the people of Taiwan want to strengthen our sovereignty and participate in international exchanges?" Alas, Tsai forgot that she is not a scholar. Still less is she a reporter or pundit. Taiwan independence is part of the DPP party platform. How should Taiwan independence be defined? Is Taiwan a sovereign and independent nation? Those questions the DPP must decide for itself. It is not a question she should be asking an empty room. Compare Tsai Ing-wen's remarks with what she said in a recent magazine interview. They reveal just how deluded she is concerning the cross-Strait and international situation. She thinks the DPP need not do anything about its cross-Strait policy. She thinks that all the DPP needs to do is win the upcoming elections. The Mainland authorities will then bow to reality, Tsai Ing-wen is clearly living in a fantasy world of her own making, and not seeing clearly.

Three. Tsai Ing-wen said that "The Taiwan independence party platform was unveiled during the founding of the DPP. It is an ideal pursued by our generation of DPP leaders and the people of Taiwan." She surreptitiously substituded "Taiwanese consciousness" for "Taiwan independence party platform." She wondered how the DPP could possibly freeze or repeal it under the current circumstances. In short, Tsai Ing-wen revealed her ongoing attachment to Taiwan independence.

Three. Tsai trotted out the Resolution on Taiwan's Future. She said it was "the Taiwanese people's consensus." She said the DPP hopes to build on this "consensus." She said "I hope the two sides can enjoy a better, more stable interaction, increase mutual understanding, and build trust." Trotting out the Resolution on Taiwan's Future is an old trick the DPP resorts to when it faces doubts. Tsai Ing-wen herself insisted that a political leader must have the courage of her vision. She must be "confident, positive and pragmatic." The Resolution on Taiwan's Future and the Taiwan independence party platform flatly contradict each other. Can a political leader with the courage of her vision, confident, positive and pragmatic, flat out ignore this?

Tsai Ing-wen has vowed to lead DPP policy reform. Yet she refuses to re-evaluate the Taiwan independence party platform, to see if it is still worthy of DPP support, to see if it still meets current needs, and to see if it still has practical significance. Eventually, through debate the party arrived at a decision, which was communicated to its supporters. We feel compelled to pose a few questions to Tsai Ing-wen. One. The Taiwan independence party platform advocates independence, the founding a nation, and the authoring of a new constitution, "in accordance with the reality of Taiwan's sovereignty, thereby making the legal and political structure consistent with Taiwan's social reality." Put simply, this is the "rectification of names." We would like to ask Chairperson Tsai, is this what the DPP intends to do under her leadership?

Two. The Taiwan independence party platform asserts that "Taiwan's national territory and sovereignty must be redefined in accordance with the reality of Taiwan's sovereignty and sovereignty over people, such that cross-Strait exchanges may be conducted in accordance with international law." This subverts the Constitution of the Republic of China by redefining its national territory. It also uses the "two states theory" to deal with cross-Strait relations. We would like to ask Chairperson Tsai, is this what the DPP intends to do under her leadership?

Third. The Taiwan independence party platform advocates the founding a sovereign and independent Republic of Taiwan and the authoring of a new constitution, "based on the principle of citizen sovereignty. All residents of Taiwan will hold a referendum and reach a decision." This obviously contradicts the Resolution on Taiwan's Future, which states that "Taiwan is a sovereign and independent state," and that "according to its current constitution, is known as the Republic of China." The Resolution on Taiwan's Future states that "Any changes regarding affecting the status quo, must be decided in a referendum by all the inhabitants of Taiwan." The Taiwan independence party platform, by contrast, calls for a constitutional referendum on Taiwan independence. We would like to ask Chairperson Tsai a question. Since the DPP upholds its beliefs, when does it plan to launch a constitutional referendum on Taiwan independence?

Tsai Ing-wen has responded to proposals to freeze the Taiwan independence party platform. On the one hand she advocates Taiwan independence. On the other hand she refuses to nullify the Taiwan independence party platform. Tsai Ing-wen is unwilling to freeze the Taiwan independence party platform. She is also unwilling to discuss freezing the Taiwan independence party platform when other party members raise the issue. Therefore if the Democratic Progressive returns to power, cross-Strait relations will once again be frozen. When the public on Taiwan understands this political scenario, the political futures of Tsai Ing-wen and the DPP will be a forgone conclusion. They will be frozen, right alongside the future of the public on Taiwan.

Confronted with this frozen future, is Tsai Ing-wen determined to go her own way in perpetuity?

社論－「台獨上位論」是蔡英文的幻想
2014年07月21日 04:09
本報訊

民進黨全代會前夕，一貫政治措辭曖昧不清的蔡英文，針對「凍結台獨黨綱」案做出了回應。她說「政黨是有機體，它會成長，也會改變」，似乎肯定台獨黨綱是可以變的，她又說，「『民主』與『進步』，是我們創黨以來就堅持至今的核心價值，絕對不會改變」，「我們對國家主權與台灣前途由人民決定的立場，也絕對不會改變」。那麼，「台獨」是不是民進黨創黨以來的核心價值呢？堅持台獨立場，又是否符合「人民決定」的立場呢？蔡英文卻沒有說，也沒有解釋。蔡英文一方面說「會改變」，一方面又說「絕對不會改變」，到底改變什麼，堅持什麼，全都不說清楚。我們只能傾向認定，蔡口中的兩個「絕對不會改變」，是向全民也是向大陸宣示她的「台獨主張」不會改變，至於「台獨黨綱」那已經是次要問題了。

其次，蔡英文說「民進黨若不放棄台獨就無法處理好兩岸關係」的說法，「是一個迷思」。她質疑台獨的定義究竟為何？她又提問：「我們難道不是主權獨立的國家嗎？而強化主權、爭取實質的國際參與，難道不是絕大多數台灣人民的期待？」蔡英文忘記了，她不是學者，更不是記者或評論者，既然「台獨」列入民進黨的黨綱，台獨的定義，台灣是不是主權獨立的國家，要由民進黨自己定義，而不是對著空氣提問。無論如何，蔡英文這段話對照她日前接受雜誌專訪的談話內容，足以凸顯，她對於兩岸及國際局勢抱有錯誤的幻想，以為民進黨在兩岸路線上什麼事都不用做，只要大選勝利上台，大陸當局就會屈服於現實，我們必須指出，這絕對是蔡英文自己的幻想與認識不清，絕非事實。

第三，蔡英文又說「『台獨黨綱』是民進黨創黨時期所揭示的目標，也是我們這一代民進黨人以及台灣人民的追求與理想」，她還用「台灣意識」偷換「台獨黨綱」，並提問到：這樣的事實與狀態，要「如何去『凍結』？如何去『廢除』？」這裡，蔡英文繼續表明她的台獨主張。

最後，蔡英文搬出了「台灣前途決議文」，說這是「台灣人民的共識」，民進黨要在這個共識基礎上，「希望兩岸有更穩定、更優質的互動，能增加彼此瞭解、建立互信」。搬出「台灣前途決議文」是民進黨面對質疑時的老招數，但是一個有遠見有魄力，同時「自信、積極、務實」（蔡英文的自我期許）的政治領袖，難道可對「台灣前途決議文」與「台獨黨綱」之間的矛盾齟齬視而不見，不進行嚴肅處理嗎？

宣稱要帶領民進黨轉型的蔡英文從來不願回到「台獨黨綱」本身，去看它是否仍是民進黨的價值主張，去檢視它是否符合當前需要，是否仍具有現實的意義，最後經過黨內民主討論，做出決斷，並與支持者進行溝通。於是，我們不得不向蔡英文提出幾個問題：首先，「台獨黨綱」主張「依照台灣主權現實獨立建國，制定新憲，使法政體系符合台灣社會現實」，簡單來說，就是要「正名制憲」，請問蔡主席，這是她領導下民進黨的主張嗎？

其次，「台獨黨綱」主張「依照台灣主權現實重新界定台灣國家領域主權及對人主權之範圍，使台海兩岸得以依國際法建立往來之法秩序」，也就是不但要翻修中華民國憲法關於固有疆域的界定，更要以「兩國論」的原則來處理兩岸關係，請問蔡主席，這是民進黨現在的主張嗎？

第三，「台獨黨綱」主張「基於國民主權原理，建立主權獨立自主的台灣共和國及制定新憲法的主張，應交由台灣全體住民以公民投票方式選擇決定」這明顯和「台灣前途決議文」中「台灣是一主權獨立國家」，「依其目前憲法稱為中華民國」的表述明顯矛盾。「台灣前途決議文」是主張「任何有關獨立現狀的更動，都必須經由台灣全體住民以公民投票的方式決定」，「台獨黨綱」卻是要進行獨立制憲的公投，請問蔡主席，民進黨既然堅持理念，那將在什麼時機發動獨立制憲的公投？

蔡英文針對「凍結台獨黨綱」問題的發言，一方面是表態她支持台獨，一方面是表示她不願意處理「台獨黨綱」的問題。蔡英文既然不願主動「凍結台獨黨綱」，又不願在黨內人士提出「凍獨」時，主動進行廣泛民主討論，那麼，未來即使民進黨能夠執政，兩岸關係一定也是重回「冰凍期」，當台灣民眾明白這樣的政治圖像，蔡英文和民進黨的政治前途就已可論斷，絕對將會被台灣民眾「冰凍」起來。

面對「被凍」的未來，蔡英文還要一意孤行下去嗎？