Clarifications and Explanations Regarding a News Story by Liberty Times

Clarifications and Explanations Regarding a News Story
by Liberty Times

John Kuan, KMT Vice Chairman
2008.7.14

1.The frontpage headline of the Liberty Times on July 14 splashed: “John Kuan: Unification Comes True Naturally If the KMT Governs over the Long Term.” The accompanying article supposedly reported the remarks I made during my participation in the Wuhan Taiwan-Week event in Hubei Province. It said, among other things, “If the KMT governs over the long term, unification will occur naturally and this is the sincere hope of the KMT.” This story seemed to be a composite report based on Wen Hui Bao of Hong Kong and other media outlets outside Mainland China. I hereby clarify myself and make certain explanations.

2.The story reported that I led some elected representatives of Taiwan to participate in the Fifth Taiwan Week event in Wuhan, Hubei Province on July 8. With respect to my itinerary, the story was completely incorrect. I arrived in Wuhan on Saturday, July 5. On July 6, I formally participated in the Wuhan Taiwan Week event and had a meeting with scholars from Wuhan University. I had a meeting with some leaders of Taiwan businessmen on the Mainland on Monday morning, July 7 and left Wuhan in the afternoon of the same day. The Liberty Times erroneously reported that I had left Wuhan on July 8.

3.I was invited to attend the Taiwan Week event in Wuhan. Taiwanese businessmen saw the need to maintain Taiwan’s long term economic vitality and moved certain operations to the Mainland; during the DPP’s eight-year closed-door policy, these businessmen acted as peace envoys across the Taiwan Strait. I took part in the event on behalf of the KMT to express to them our high-degree approval and support.

4.The KMT’s stance on cross-Strait relations adheres to “the consensus of 1992”, “peaceful co-existence”, which basically means to maintain the status quo. This is not an issue of either unification or independence. The KMT believes that to “shelve disputes and jointly create a win-win situation” is the current consensus across the Taiwan Strait. The so-called “Unification occurs naturally if the KMT governs over the long term” as reported by the Liberty Times is neither the KMT’s long-standing position nor the language I expressed during that event. I also quoted KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung’s remarks, “All under Heaven belongs to the people; people are the most important”, indicating that the welfare of the people was an important indicator to review cross-Strait relations.

5.During my stay at the event in Hubei Province, I pointed out that cross-Strait relations were now at a historic turning point. Officials in Mainland China have replaced statements of “One China” or “One country, two systems” with “the consensus of 1992” since March 22. As the Mainland has begun to shelve and blur the controversial issue of sovereignty, it gives us an opportunity and represents a momentous conceptual change on the other side. Both sides of the Strait should cherish this opportunity.

6.I participated in a separate meeting with scholars from Wuhan University in my capacity as a scholar of international relations in the afternoon of July 6. This was a private activity. The main theme of the meeting was “Cross-Strait Relations and the U.S. Role.” It was a purely academic forum, focusing on the U.S. role and function in the cross-Strait relations. I believe that cross-Strait relations are a key factor for the Mainland’s peaceful rise. If the Mainland cannot properly handle the Taiwan Strait issue, it would fail to prove its theory of China’s peaceful rise. I suggested at the forum that the Mainland should participate in the international community using ‘soft power’ and aiming for a‘soft landing’.”

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