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DPP SECRETARY-GENERAL REAFFIRMS TAIWAN'S SOVEREIGNTY

Aug 03, 2002 15:49 UTC+0800

Chiayi, Aug. 3 (CNA) Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung reaffirmed on Saturday that Taiwan is an independent sovereign country and is not part of the People's Republic of China.

Chang made the reaffirmation while paying a visit to the DPP's local-level officials in Chiayi, southern Taiwan, following President Chen Shui-bian's speech via video link to the opening of the 29th annual meeting of the World Federation of Taiwanese Associations being held in Tokyo, Japan.

The DPP secretary-general stressed that the president's comment that Taiwan is an independent sovereign country and is not part of the People's Republic of China does not contradict Chen's inauguration speech in May 2000 in which he voiced the "five noes" of his mainland policy.

The "five noes" are: no declaration of Taiwan independence so long as Beijing does not intend to use force against Taiwan; no change to the official name of the Republic of China; no introduction of the "state-to-state cross-strait relations" concept into the ROC Constitution; no referendum on Taiwan independence or unification with mainland China; and no abrogation of the National Unification Guidelines.

In a recent meeting of the DPP's central executive committee, Chen reaffirmed that if Beijing renounces its intention to use force against Taiwan, he will not change the status quo in Taiwan.

President Chen said that he hopes the two sides of the Taiwan Strait can have peaceful and stable relations and that the DPP's mainland policy of "reconciliation, active cooperation and permanent peace" will never change.

On this point, Chang added that only closer exchanges and comprehensive dialogue between Taiwan and mainland China can lead to better mutual understanding, which he said would be conducive to permanent peace between the two sides. Chang stressed that the DPP will make maximum efforts toward achieving this goal.

(By Elisa Kao)