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Premier defends ROC's 'unwavering existence'

ROC Central News Agency

2011/10/11 14:01:44

Taipei, Oct. 11 (CNA) Premier Wu Den-yih rejected Tuesday a comment by an opposition lawmaker that the Republic of China on Taiwan is a "government in exile," saying the ROC is a country that has been in "unwavering existence" since its foundation in 1912.

This is demonstrated by the fact that elections have continued to be held in Taiwan in accordance with the ROC Constitution and civil servants and public officials have continued to receive their salaries from the ROC government, Wu said.

The premier was speaking in a legislative hearing in response to a comment by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Twu Shiing-jer, who described the ROC as a "past" entity that had fled into exile in Taiwan.

Twu said he did not agree with President Ma Ying-jeou, who has argued for the ROC "continued presence," nor did he see eye to eye with DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, who said "the ROC is Taiwan" after decades of democratization.

"Taiwan is Taiwan and it does not belong to the ROC," Twu said.

However, Wu said the lawmaker was mistaken in calling the ROC a "government in exile."

Wu pointed out that Twu is a lawmaker who was elected by the people on the basis of the ROC Constitution, and that both he and Twu have been receiving salaries from the ROC government for many years.

Also at the hearing, Wu was asked by Gao Jyh-peng, another DPP legislator, about the possibility of Taiwan following the example of Palestine and renewing its bid for full membership in the United Nations.

Wu said that between 1993 and 2007, the government maintained an annual push for UN membership, but as each bid failed, the Taiwan people developed a deep sense of frustration.

In light of this situation, the government in 2008 changed its approach and has been seeking instead "meaningful participation" in specialized organizations of the U.N., such as the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization, he said. (By Lu Hsin-hui and Y.F. Low) ENDITEM /pc