The Kuomintang (KMT) is determined to defend democracy and the Republic of China — the formal name of Taiwan — under the party’s new policy platform, which opposes Beijing’s proposal of “one country, two systems,” said party chairman Eric Chu (???) Saturday.
The KMT will not let its guard down against any efforts to undermine the ROC constitution, democracy, freedom, and rule of law from either the Chinese Communist Party or the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Chu, who became KMT chairman last month after winning a party race, told party members in his speech delivered at the party’s first meeting of its 21st National Congress.
It was held at the party headquarters in Taipei, while local representatives of party members around the country took part via video links amid the ongoing COVID-19 Level 2 alert.
“One country, two systems” refers to an arrangement proposed by Beijing for Taiwan in which the latter would be part of the People’s Republic of China but retain its government, military, and several other institutions. Hong Kong and Macau are run under this arrangement.
During the meeting, the party’s top decision-making body passed a new policy platform titled “Defend Taiwan, Protect Democracy, Fight for the Future, Return to Power,” which covers issues ranging from climate change to animal protection to cross-Taiwan Strait relations.
While continuing the party’s previous stance of backing the 1992 consensus, which the KMT sees as “one China, different interpretations,” and opposing Beijing’s “one country, two systems,” as well as Taiwan independence pursued in the DPP’s charter, the new party platform also includes Chu’s proposal that both sides of the Taiwan Straits should seek a common ground, while respecting their differences.
This is a change from the party’s previous stance of “seeking a common ground, while allowing differences,” but the party is still against military threats or any unilateral actions that will affect the peace between the two sides and the status quo in its newly-passed policy platform.
Chu also said the KMT is seeking victory in the Dec. 18 referendums, in which the party initiated two of the four issues to be voted on, and in the local elections in late 2022, before building a successful campaign for the presidential elections in early 2024.
Chu named his three deputies during Saturday’s meeting — Chiayi City Mayor Huang Ming-hui (???), former Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) chief Hsia Li-yan (???), and Sean Lien (???), who lost the Taipei mayoral election in 2014 and is the son of former Vice President Lien Chan (??).
According to Ling Tao (??), head of the KMT’s Culture and Communication Committee, Huang is familiar with party affairs because she had been a deputy chair between 2008 and 2016, while Hsia’s previous experience as deputy foreign minister, deputy defense minister, and then the MAC chief, will be helpful in dealing with international and cross-strait affairs.
Lien has been working in youth affairs for a long time and has held posts in the party and in a think tank affiliated with the KMT, Ling added.
The National Congress also approved the appointment of former Taitung County Magistrate Justin Huang (???) as the party’s secretary-general.
Former KMT chairmen attending the meeting at the KMT headquarters include former President Ma Ying-jeou (???), former Vice President Wu Den-yih (???), Wu Poh-hsiung (???), and Legislator Johnny Chiang (???).
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel