Political parties respond to Hung-Xi meet
ROC Central News Agency
2016/11/01 22:11:50
Taipei, Nov. 1 (CNA) Political parties reacted Tuesday in very different ways to main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu's (洪秀柱) meeting in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平), from nonchalance to deep suspicion.
During the meeting, Hung made it a point that her party will push ahead with its "peace platform" to stave off the "danger and turmoil" that could result from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP's) "independence platform."
Hung also vowed to deepen the KMT's "1992 consensus," which acknowledges the "one China" principle but allows each side of the Taiwan Strait to interpret what "one China" means.
The minor opposition People First Party's legislative caucus whip, Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞), noted that the KMT's forum with the Communist Party of China has been held regularly since 2006. Only the ruling parties of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will be able to solve the problems, Lee said, hinting at the uselessness of the proposals put forth by Hung as opposition leader.
Liao Kuo-tung (廖國棟), a KMT legislative caucus leader, said Hung stressed the "peace platform" at a time when the DPP's independence tendency is creating risks for cross-strait ties, to remind China that the KMT, which is supported by many people in Taiwan, is capable of diminishing those risks with feasible alternatives.
DPP Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) said Hung used words that the KMT has never used before to emphasize her "one China" consensus with Beijing, which is "truly worrying."
Lo was referring to Hung's "seeking agreement while shelving differences" principle to look at the "one China" issue: "We can agree on the 'one China' principle, but allow us to disagree on what it means."
What is worrying, Lo said, is Hung's attempts to seek a common definition of "one China" with the Chinese government, which have gone beyond the previous KMT position of "one China, different interpretations."
Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明), legislative caucus whip of the New Power Party (NPP), another minor opposition party, said Hung has been fearmongering by advocating that only through a peace agreement with China can hostility be ended between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"This kind of fear campaign will just impose new shackles on free Taiwan," Hsu said.
NPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) was even harsher with his criticism of Hung, accusing her party of "toeing the Communist line of united front while distancing itself farther and farther away from mainstream Taiwan."
Taiwan's progress toward deepening democracy and independent autonomy will not be stopped by the KMT and CPC and their playing of an "old tune," he said, adding that "the future of Taiwan will be decided by the people of Taiwan, not by the KMT and the CPC."
(By Chen Chun-hua, Wen Kui-hsiang and S.C. Chang)
ENDITEM/J
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