Declaration against the PRC Anti-Secession Law on Its Third Anniversary

Declaration against the PRC Anti-Secession Law on Its Third Anniversary

March 14, 2008

Kuomintang members of the Legislative Yuan and Mayors and Executives of 18 cities and counties, solemnly declare as follows:

Three years ago, we voiced our resolute opposition to the adoption on 14 March 2005 the Anti-Secession Law by the Chinese mainland authorities. Today we stand even more firmly and state even more loudly our opposition to that Law.

The Republic of China is a sovereign state. The people in Taiwan have been practicing genuine democracy and are masters of their own land. We hereby solemnly declare: Taiwan’s future must be determined by the Taiwan people themselves!

Three years have elapsed since the mainland authorities adopted the Anti-Secession Law. During those years, little or no substantive breakthrough has been made in the cross-Strait relations. Yet, the economic and cultural exchanges between Taiwan and the mainland have not only not abated, but expanded with time.

This phenomenon of “warm private sector, but cold government” shows amply that the need in the private sector for broader exchanges with the Chinese mainland is genuine. And the authorities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be responsible for the lack of progress in the cross-Strait relations. The mainland authorities, in particular, seem incapable of taking the pulse of the Taiwan society or of reading the mainstream opinion in Taiwan in favor of maintaining the status quo. As a result, they could not see through the DPP’s deliberate tactic of provoking cross-Strait confrontation－hence the passage of the Anti-Secession Law.

Three years ago, as soon as the Anti-Secession Law was adopted in Beijing, we joined hands with all the Pan-Blue mayors and executives in stating our resolute opposition and expressed out steadfast position on “the maintenance of the status quo, no use of force by the PRC, and no independence for Taiwan.” Over the past three years, we stood tall and firm. By running for President of the Republic of China now, Mr. Ying-jeou Ma hopes to demonstrate his determination to defend and safeguard the sovereignty of the Republic of China. By proposing the “no unification, no independence, and no use of force” policy, he aspires to create a peaceful and friendly environment for cross-Strait exchanges on the basis of parity, mutual trust and respect.

Dialogue must take primacy in cross-Strait relations. Through dialogue, the two sides could get to know and understand each other better. Through dialogue, they could turn differences and divergences into a foundation for mutual trust. Three years ago, we were certain that the Anti-Secession Law was “neither necessary, nor wise.” Today we want to emphasize once again that the mainland authorities should learn a lesson from the experience with the Anti-Secession law and never again do anything that would damage the mutual trust between Taiwan and the mainland.

Let us solemnly declare: Our positions toward the cross-strait relations are resolute and pragmatic:

1.We oppose the Anti-Secession Law and any other move that may hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people!

2.We safeguard the sovereignty of the Republic of China and the dignity of Taiwan!

3.We insist that Taiwan’s future must be determined by the Taiwan people themselves!

4.We implement the policy of “no unification, no independence, no use of force” to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait for the benefit of peace and development!

5.We promote peace and prosperity in the Taiwan Strait so as to revitalize and re-catapult Taiwan’s economy onto the world stage!

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