Posted on 03/06/2006 9:06:08 PM PST by gogoman
TOKYO (Reuters) - Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian, who on Monday scrapped guidelines on unification with China, is determined to draft a new constitution that better suits Taiwan's current situation, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said on Saturday.
China has sharply criticized Chen's independence-minded stance, and his abandoning of a council and guidelines focused on ultimate reunification drew harsh warnings from Beijing.
In an interview with the conservative Yomiuri conducted in Taipei on Friday, Chen said he was resolved to draft a new constitution but avoided comment on whether the new document would include phrases changing the status quo in Taiwan, including its official name, the Republic of China..
"I'll push forward with procedures for a new constitution that is more suited to Taiwan's present circumstances," Chen was quoted as saying.
He added that, while carrying out such a move before his term in office ends in 2008 may be difficult, it is not impossible.
Chen also indicated that five promises he had made in his inaugural address in 2000, which included maintaining the unification council and guidelines, were no longer valid because the conditions on which they were based no longer existed.
"The precondition was 'as long as China had no intention of using military force against Taiwan'," Chen was quoted as saying.
"However, China's intention to invade Taiwan is visible now," he added, noting that the number of Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan had increased to some 784 over the past few years.
Beijing has considered Taiwan a breakaway province since their split at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. It has threatened force if the island formally declares independence.
A top Chinese Communist Party leader said on Friday that Beijing would block any moves toward Taiwan independence but would work for a peaceful solution to the stand-off.
Recent poll in Taiwan showed 85% of Taiwanese want to maintain status quo (undeclared independence).
Hope cooler minds prevail.
I understand the mainland's point: from an historical perspective, Tawian has always been a part of China.
But krb asks, if that's true, doesn't that mean that China has always been a part of Taiwan?
Yeah. You are right. Official maps of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has all of China including Taiwan too (even Mongolia in some maps). It's pretty ridiculous, but that's why "One China Policy" works (they overlap). All this is a relic of the Chinese Civil War after WWII.
A full declaration of independence for Taiwan would mean for the Republic of China (Taiwan) to drop its territorial claims on the rest of China. So that it's no longer Republic of China, but "Republic of Taiwan." A lot of Taiwanese (mainly KMT members who see themselves as Chinese) don't want to go all the way and become independent, but some members of the DPP (Chen's party) are pushing for Republic of Taiwan status, they want to make a new constitution a new flag and new anthem (the current constitution, flag, anthem are naturally the Republic of China's made originally on the Mainland).
If Chen wants a new Constitution, then let him defend it on his own.
I support Taiwan, but Chen is an idiot troublemaker.
For once, we agree on something :)
I thought you were pro-independence? What changed your mind?
He's desperate. He knows that by 2008, Taiwan's economy would be dependent on the mainland that China really doesn't need to use military force to force Taiwan back to the status quo. (Even TSMC is moving their factories to China now). So he has to act now.
One thing that is curious is that the previous Chinese leaders, Jiang Zemin, would often make threats against Taiwan. The current ones have been relatively quiet (they only react when Chen does something silly like this). I got a feeling that maybe the current leaders felt that Taiwan is a lost cause which certainly isn't good.
It's because they don't want the Mainlanders too upset and banging on war drums, when they can't yet achieve their objective of reunification. ;)
Taiwan is a territory of the US, although nearly autonomous except for a few small things like NATIONAL DEFENSE.
then Japan would be too.... LOL
That's right. Not sure about England. The US still has bases there doesn't it?
He might be an idiot, but this is perfectly reasonable -- not just that but the only rational thing to do.
In 1999 Chen first pledged the new badly needed constitution as his campaign kick off. This is DPP platform and has been a long time goal of many people in Taiwan. Chen won the 2000 election but at the request of the US did not follow up on this.
That was and is a mistake on our part.
The constitution is a relic of 1940's mainland China and in no way has ever applied to Taiwan or the situation there now.
I think your comments about Chen are over the top emotionalism and just plain wrong from any standpoint.
I don't understand why you sometimes side with the communists over Taiwan.
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