Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
FEBRUARY 2014
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! In order to consolidate its power, the foreign forces of the KMT used the 228 Massacre to suppress the Taiwanese people, Chair Su remarked. Many of the countrys elite at that time their voices were drowned. After 38 years of Martial Law, the Taiwanese people nally ended their silence and pursued our current democracy and freedom. After the rst transfer of power, the DPP administration created the 228 Truth Commission, but there is still a long road we must walk to nd out the whole truth.
FEBRUARY 2014 Chair Su stressed the importance for the Taiwanese people to persist in democracy and freedom in order to prevent another 228 Massacre from taking place again. Only through our persistence, he insisted, were the sacrices made by our ancestors worthwhile for the next generation to cherish.
DPP expresses concern over threats to rule of law, freedom of speech in Hong Kong
On February 25, former chief editor of the Hong Kong publication Ming Pao Daily, Kevin Lau Chun-to, was attacked by unknown assailants and left critically injured. Mr. Honigmann Hong, director of the DPPs Department for China Affairs, commented in a press conference that the DPP is highly concerned about the declining environment in the rule of law and in the suppression of press freedom, for which the media in Hong Kong has accused is Beijings doing. Mr. Hong said that since June of last year, Hong Kong media professionals have suffered a series of attacks and none of these cases have been resolved by the police. This means that these violent attacks are not single occurrences, said Mr. Hong. He thinks that CCP are not using national capital and violent methods to raise the chilling effect of restraining press freedom in Hong Kong. As there is the Tenth High-Level Meeting currently been held in Taipei, and there will be a visit by Chen Deming, president of the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) with Wang Yu-chi, minister of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), there is an opportunity to express to China that the Taiwanese people are concerned over the issue of tightening freedom of the press in Hong Kong. This would show China, said Mr. Hong, Taiwan cares about democracy and human rights. Mr. Hong elaborated on the attacks to Hong Kong media professionals since June of last year, for which up to now have not been solved by the HK police. These incidents are: iSun Affairs publisher Chen Ping beaten by batonwielding individuals; the assassination attempt on Apple Daily boss Jimmy Lai with a machete found at the front door of his house; owner of CLT Newspaper & Magazine Distribution Limited Sum Tak Keung attacked and left critically injured; and lastly am730 owner Shih Wingchings car hammered by two assailants. Additionally, Mr. Hong said that in the past year, other incidents have also raised causes for alarm. These were: HKTV unable to obtain a free license to operate; the sudden replacement of Ming Pao Daily chief editor Kevin Lau; the ring of Hong Kong radio host Li Wei-ling from Commercial Radio Hong Kong; and the many Hong Kong publications with media advertisements suddenly pulled.
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DPP issues four principles for LY review of Cross Strait Services Agreement
DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang announced the DPPs four principles concerning the legislative review of the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement signed in June of last year in Shanghai. DPP legislators exchanged views with Chair Su after hearing an update concerning the agreement by Mr. Honigmann Hong, director of the DPPs Department for China Affairs. DPP Spokesperson Mr. Lin Chun-hsian, on behalf of Chair Su, said that the DPP is not against trade, and it hopes that Taiwan can sign different types of trade agreements with other countries in order to strengthen its own economy and to enhance the quality of life for the Taiwanese people. However, Chair Su says that we must recognize that between Taiwan and China, there are differences in economic and political systems, where Taiwan is a democracy and a free country while Chinas economy is mostly state-run. Additionally, it is necessary to consider that when both countries entered WTO, Taiwan already opened-up 58% of its market while China has only opened 37%. As a result of these differences, Chair Su said that four principles must be established when examining the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement, which are: (1) equal opening, (2) fair competition, (3) safeguard peoples livelihoods, and (4) ensure national security. Spokesperson Lin explained that equal opening calls for the same proportion of markets that are being opened, including cross-border services and the adjustment to the ratio of commercial presence. Additionally, the agreement should not be limited to some provinces in China, like Fujian and Guangdong provinces, but rather, it should encompass the entire China. To ensure fair competition, Spokesperson Lin said that in light of the differences between political and economic systems of both countries, the markets that are being opened should have the necessary conditions that allows for fair competition between them. ! In June of last year, when the trade agreement was signed, Taiwanese academics with expertise on trade and several civic groups raised many substantial standpoints. These included a call for regulatory measures for the supervision of trade pacts between Taiwan and China and implementing regulations concerning Chinese investments into Taiwan. After holding several technical meetings, the DPP Legislative Caucus issued two bills, the Bill on Pacts between Taiwan and China and the Bill on Relations between peoples from the Cross Straits. These bills, however, although having entered into the Procedure Committee, did not reach deliberation. Also last year in June, the KMT and the DPP negotiated at the Legislative Yuan to review each item of the trade agreement, consenting to deliberate on each item being examined. Chair Su appealed for the KMT Legislative Caucus to abide by this negotiation result. I call on the KMT to absolutely not forgo the will of public opinion in order to cave-in to the will of President Ma Ying-jeou, Chair Su said. He said that the DPP will without fail represent the interests of the Taiwanese people at the legislature, and he lastly sent a warning to the KMT not to misjudge the situation and act in a rash manner. In late February, Premier Jiang Yi-hua said that according to an Executive Yuan survey, over 60% of the population said they wished to see the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement pass. However, in a DPP poll released on February 25, when asked whether the public hoped to see the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement passed or renegotiated, 70.5% of the public answered that they hoped to re-negotiate the trade agreement. Only 17.5% of the respondents answered that they hoped to see the agreement pass completely.
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On February 27, the DPP held a press conference releasing its newest publication The New Diplomatic Strategy, which summarizes the past two years of the DPPs achievements in foreign relations. Mr. Liu Shih-chung, director of the DPPs Department of International Affairs, said that this publication highlights the DPPs foreign policy, which as Chair Su has pinpointed, is to open up internationally, show care to the world and to promote democracy and peace. In the publication, it is told that the DPP exerted a large amount of effort into fundraising to re-open the DPP representative office in Washington, D.C., which was closed twelve years ago when the DPP won the administration in 2000. Without the contributions from Taiwanese residents in the U.S. and in Canada, this office would not have been opened,
and as a tribute to them, the publication largely dedicates the DPP's achievements to their support. In order to re-strengthen the DPPs relations with the U.S., Chair Su raised the 3Rs of foreign policy for the DPP, which were responsibility, reconciliation and re-balance. In his speech at the Brookings Institution in June of last year, Chair Su explained that responsibility is to pave the way for a DPP comeback to government, also calling for reconciliation in the normalization of cross strait relations and a re-balance of US-Taiwan relations. Confronting the new transformations in Asias regional security, the DPP has especially strengthened its partnership relations with neighboring countries in order to prevent further changes to the status quo of peace and stability in the region. Furthermore, in regards to Chinas Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to counter
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...Wang!Zhang Meetings
Ma government may be unable to withstand the pressure. Fourth, before going to China Minister Wang had stated that one of his objectives was to seek participation in the regional economic integration process, and this goal was also written into the MAC press release. But the first point of consensus that appears in the TAOs statement issued following the Wang-Zhang meeting is focusing on completion of follow-on agreements under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), refining channels of crossstrait economic cooperation, and seriously exploring the feasibility of joint economic development toward appropriate modes of participation in the regional economic integration process. If the MAC has not put forth any objection to this consensus, then it appears that Taiwans accession to RCEP and TPP has already been subsumed within the ECFA framework. This is a complete loss for Taiwan not only in substance but also in symbolism. Fifth, prior to Minister Wangs departure, the DPP had repeatedly called on the administration to raise the issues in cross-Strait negotiations that remain unresolved, including compensation for Taiwanese businesses from previous lapses in food safety, repatriation of financial criminals, re-negotiation of unequal provisions in the services trade pact, and freedom of the press and human rights questions. These are the subjects of greatest concern to the people of Taiwan, but MAC did not broach them at all. We are deeply disappointed that government did not take our cue in this regard. Dr. Wu went on to pose three questions to minister Wang: 1. The statement released by MAC immediately after the meeting was vague and ambiguous, while the title of the TAO press release trumpets the proactive consensus reached. Did the two sides reach any kind of consensus or not? Or has Taiwan been trapped into a consensus? 2. With regard to the potential meeting between President Ma and President Xi Jing-ping, President Ma has reiterated the need to create the right conditions. What kind of condition is he referring to, and what is the price that the Ma administration is willing to pay? Has Taiwan not paid a high enough price already? 3. Exactly what priority has the administration accorded to the issues of greatest importance to the people of Taiwan? Additionally, China affairs department director Hung Tsai-lung elaborated on the monitoring and oversight mechanisms for cross-Strait negotiations and agreements. Hung requests that Minister Wang provide a special report to the Legislative Yuan and take questions from legislators after his return to Taiwan. All cross-Strait negotiations and agreements should be subject to comprehensive oversight by the legislature. Further, we should establish a formal process to grant authority to conduct cross-Strait talks to institutionalize the mechanism for legislative oversight of cross-Strait negotiations.
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DPP Chair Su Tseng!chang meets with U.S. congressional delegation visiting Taiwan
At the DPP Headquarters on Feb. 20, DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang met with an U.S. Congressional Delegation led by Representative Edward R. Royce, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also part of the delegation were Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH); Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA); Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC); Representative Randy Weber (RTX); Representative Luke Messer (R-IN); Representative Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) and Representative Joseph P. Kennedy, III (D-MA). In his remarks, Chair Su first expressed his deepest appreciation to the U.S. Congress for their long-term support of Taiwan while also reaffirming the DPPs commitment to strengthen Taiwan-U.S. relations. Chair Su especially commended Rep. Royce for supporting Taiwans bid to join the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) last year, saying that he wanted to thank him in person, and that Taiwan was better off with good friends like you.
Chair Su emphasized that the DPP will continue upholding its support of Taiwans national defense and protecting Taiwans achievements in democracy, peace and human rights. I would like to emphasize the DPPs determination to strengthen Taiwans defense and to consolidate Taiwans democracy. I look forward to our further cooperation to bring closer relations between our two countries, to further highlight our value on democracy and human rights and to have Taiwan serve as a beacon light of hope in the entire East Asia. Rep. Royce started his remarks wishing everyone a happy New Year in Mandarin, noting that this was the strongest bi-partisan delegation that has ever visited Taiwan. Regarding Taiwan obtaining U.S. visa-free status, he expressed that he was very happy to see that this years New Year flights to the U.S. increased by 30% as a result. Because of the frequency in flights between Taiwan and the U.S., it was of vital importance that Taiwan was able to enter
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