X318 BIG PARADE DRAWS
 TAIWANESE TO SPEAK March 2006
OUT.. ……….....….….1

XDPP SURVEY ON CROSS

STRAIT
 RELATIONS..………....3

XDPP HOLDS CHINA

DEBATE UPON SO-
CALLED ANTI-
SECESSION LAW

democracy
 ANNIVERSARY.............3

&

XCHAIRMAN SPEAKS ON
TIBETAN
FREEDOM....................4

A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE

INTERNATIONAL DEPT. OF THE DPP TAIWAN
progress
318 Big Parade draws Taiwanese to speak out
The Democratic Progressive Party held the 318 Big Parade
“Protect Democracy, Stand against Forceful Annexation” with the
emphasis on China-Taiwan relations.
DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun said if China continues not
listening to the Taiwanese people, the DPP will continue leading
protests against China in March each year.
China’s conduct towards Taiwan is still hostile. In 1996, China
started a missile crisis to intervene in Taiwan’s first direct
democratic presidential election. Nevertheless, love for democracy
created a force in the Taiwanese people to repel the Chinese
coercion.
In 2000, Taiwan experienced its first democratic power
transfer, and Taiwan has kept governing on democratic principles.
Last year, China’s National People’s Congress passed the so-called
Anti-Secession Law, which legalized the use of force to impose
annexation on Taiwan, using “non-peaceful means” to solve the
cross strait issue.
Today, more than 700 missiles are aimed at the island, and
internationally, China continues to bully Taiwan, insisting on the
One China Principle.
The DPP made this special appeal to all the people in Taiwan
to come out and voice their opposition against a dictatorship that
not only poses a threat to the country, but to the entire Asia-Pacific
region.
DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun called on all Taiwanese to
participate in the 318 Big Parade, regardless of their political
affiliation, gender or background.
The DPP held this parade not to create a confrontation
between political camps, but to give unanimous voice to Taiwan’s
determination to protect its democracy and stand against forceful
annexation from China.
“Facing China’s bullying, the people of Taiwan stand bravely
against China, embracing the power of democracy to continue
walking this democratic road,” DPP Chairman Yu said. “As long as
2 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

318 Big Parade, continued from page 1

DEMOCRACY & China continues aiming missiles at Taiwan, each year in March Taiwanese people will
PROGRESS step out and protest against China so that the whole world is able to see Taiwan’s
International Department determination to protect its democracy.”
Democratic Progressive Party
8F, No. 30, Pei-Ping East Rd.
Taipei, Taiwan
t. 886-2-23929989 ext. 305
f. 886-2-23214527
e-mail: foreign@dpp.org.tw
web: http://www.dpp.org.tw

Director, International
Department: Bi-khim Hsiao

Deputy Director:
Huai-hui Hsieh

Editor-in-Chief:
Michael Fonte

Editor:
Ping-Ya Hsu

President Chen Shui-bian also participated in the 318 Big Parade, joining the
people at Ketagalan Boulevard, and making a final speech. President Chen said that the
Taiwanese people came out to the streets today to protest against China and to speak out
to the whole world, expressing their desire to protect democracy and stand against
forceful annexation.
President Chen Shui-bian noted during his speech that certain people do not dare to
“scream” at China, and they are opposed to Taiwanese people protesting on the streets,
even going so far as to say that “the leader should not make trouble”.
President Chen was referring to Mayor Ma Ying-jeou’s comments early in the
morning, appealing to people not to protest against China.
“Today, the leader is not me,” President Chen said. “The leader is the mighty 23
million people of Taiwan. To protest against China and to speak out to the whole world
is the fundamental right of every Taiwanese.”
President Chen said March is the “Month of Democracy” for Taiwan. He noted
that the March 1990 student movement had a profound impact in changing Taiwan’s
political atmosphere; it was also in March, 1996 that the Taiwanese people directly
elected their first democratic president; six years ago on March 18, the Taiwanese
people successfully completed the power transfer of 2000; and in March, 2004, the
Taiwanese people voted for the nation’s first referendum, changing Taiwanese history.
Therefore, March has a historical meaning to Taiwan because it is the month that new
Taiwanese history was created.
President Chen declared that ceasing the functioning of the National Unification
Council and ceasing the application of the Guidelines for National Unification returns to
the Taiwanese people the freedom to choose.
“Taiwan needs to become a normal country and protect its future, which means
that Taiwan must have its ‘freedom to choose’,” President Chen said. “Taiwan is a
sovereign, independent country. The sovereignty of Taiwan belongs to its 23 million
people and only 23 million people can decide their future. The country’s sovereignty
cannot be restrained or divided, nor can Taiwan’s future be determined by China’s 1.3
billion people.”
After President Chen delivered his remarks, Vice President Lu Hsiu-lian and
Premier Su Tseng-chang also stood together with the people. Both Lu and Su expressed
their determination to speak out against China, also calling for unity in Taiwan to
protect our democracy and to maintain our sovereignty.
3 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS
DPP Survey:
How do Taiwanese
feel about Cross
Strait Relations &
China’s Military
Expansion ?
The Survey Department of
the Democratic Progressive Party
conducted a March 8 through 10
survey concerning “Cross Strait
Relations & China’s Military
Expansion”.
The survey results show that
60% of the population believes
Taiwan’s security is been threatened
under the condition of continuous
military expansion by China, and 59%
of the population believes Asian
security is also under threat.
Looking deeper at party
affiliation, regardless whether the
responder is pro-blue, pro-green or
independent, the majority believes that
China’s military expansion is a threat
to both “Taiwan’s security” and
“Asian security”.
Reading from the standpoint
of “independence” and “unification”,
those that wish for immediate
unification also feel that China’s
military expansion threatens Taiwan’s
security.
The survey result also show
that 63.5% of the population believes
that the country needs to increase its
defensive military capabilities with the
contingency given the condition of
missile attack by China, and 31%
believe it is not necessary.
This shows that it is possible
that China could play a factor in
disrupting Asian regional security, and
that the two opposition parties, KMT
and PFP, should pass the arms
package and strengthen Taiwan’s
defensive capabilities so that the
public menace by China’s military is
lessened.
Looking deeper at party
affiliation, the majority of pro-green
and independents (85.6% and 62.9%
respectively) believe that Taiwan
needs to strengthen its defensive
military capabilities given the threat of
missile attack from China.
This shows that the mainstream
value of the public is to pass the arms
package.
In terms of views among the
pan-blue, there is a discrepancy
among pan-blue supporters. The ratio
between those pan-blue supporters
who believe the country needs
defensive military capabilities and
those who believe it is not necessary is
approximately 50% each.
Presently, cross strait exchanges
are very frequent, but the Chinese
government refuses to talk to
Taiwan’s government, and it has not
been possible to establish an official
channel of communication.
Concerning this situation, 66%
of the population believes it damages
the interests of the Taiwanese people,
and only 25.4% doesn’t believe it will
cause any damage.
Meanwhile, 59.9% of the
population agrees that China is using
Taiwanese businessmen in China,
political figures and social groups to
influence government policy in
Taiwan, and 31.3% doesn’t agree.
Reading from the standpoint of
“unification” or “independence”,
29.4% approve of “cross strait
unification”, 50% approve of “Taiwan
independence”, and 12.6% believe in
“keeping the status quo”.
Comparing data from 2003 up to
present, the percentage of those
approving independence has reached a
new high this year.
In 2004, the percentage of those
favoring unification reached its lowest
(24.5%) and afterwards, it has
remained above 30%.
In this time’s survey, the
percentage favoring unification
lowered to 29.4%.
This poll shows that ceasing the
functioning of the National
Unification Council and the National
Guidelines for Unification are aligned
with public opinion.
DPP holds China
debate upon so-called
Anti-Secession Law
anniversary
The DPP held a China Policy
Debate on March 13, discussing the
topic, “The Anti-Secession Law and
Cross Strait Meetings between
Political Parties”.
DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun
sat with party members and scholars,
exchanging opinions regarding China
policy on the anniversary of the Anti-
Secession Law. Chairman Yu said
opposition parties, the KMT and the
PFP, aided China in lessening the
controversy surrounding the law when
it was passed on March 14 last year.
China’s National People’s
Congress passed the law to legalize
the use of force against Taiwan, and,
surprisingly, afterwards Lian Chan
and James Soong paid visits to China.
In the country, they did not condemn
China for militarily threatening
Taiwan or express to the Beijing
authorities the thoughts of the majority
of Taiwanese in regards to this piece
of legislation.
Lian and Soong did not ask
the Beijing authorities why they bully
Taiwan in the international arena.
They also didn’t talk about the issues
of human rights and democracy while
they were visiting China.
The DPP believes it is
extremely regretful the way opposition
parties acted in China last year.
During the China Policy Debate,
Chairman Yu said the DPP does not
reject the idea of engaging in dialogue
with China, but it must be carried out
on equal grounds. He said dialogue
must also be based on Taiwan’s
national interest, cross strait peace,
and the consolidation of democracy in
Taiwan as well as promoting
democratization in China.
The DPP is not casting aside
any dialogue or negotiation with
China through whatever channels
necessary. The only condition
acceptable to the DPP is that the
Chinese continued on page 5
4 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

DPP Chairman speaks

on Tibetan Uprising Day
Remarks made by Chairman Yu Shyi-kun on the 47th Anniversary
of Tibetan Uprising Day, March 10, 2006

Today is the 47th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising,

and the Democratic Progressive Party remembers in mourning
the 80,000 and more people who sacrificed their lives fighting for
freedom and independence against the forces of China’s People’s
Liberation Army.
We would also like to express our deepest sympathy to
the Tibetans living in exile after the Tibetan Uprising, as well as
to pay our deepest respects to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and
the exiled government of Tibet under His Holiness’ leadership.

Compared with Tibet, we are able to enjoy the valuable asset of “freedom”, as we have been able to establish a
democratic system of government in Taiwan. Nevertheless, today we are remembering the 47th anniversary of the Tibetan
Uprising, especially the 17 Articles Agreement between China and Tibet, signed in 1951 and which promised to give a high
degree of autonomy to the Tibetan people.
The agreement promised not to force a separation of church and state upon Tibet, but, immediately after the
agreement was signed, Chinese forces invaded Tibet and broke their promise. This is a Tibetan version of the “one country,
two systems” experience.
The Tibetan people have endured Chinese imperialism through forceful annexation. Tibetan lifestyle and culture
have been assimilated and destroyed at the same time by Communist China.
Recently, using the excuse of economic development, China has allowed large-scale immigration of Han people into
Tibet, using them to construct a railroad into Tibet. This excuse of Han people insertion shows that China intends to keep its
long-term plan of seizing Tibet.
China has said to Taiwan that all Chinese people must unite, but showing their true colors in the Tibetan case as a
regime with feudal and imperialistic interests, they have pursued a long-term invasion. Everyone can identify with the
suffering of the Tibetan people as Taiwan has also experienced threats by China.
Former President John F. Kennedy has said that freedom is a whole, and if one person doesn’t have freedom, then the
whole of mankind cannot be free. Based on these words, Tibet is not free, and in truth, the whole of humanity is not free.
Furthermore, the freedom of the Taiwanese people has been threatened, and thus mankind’s freedom has also been threatened.
We would like to mention a special victim, one who since the age of six has been missing, and this person is the 11th
Panchen Lama. He is a 17 year-old youth who is still imprisoned by the Chinese government. This violation of human rights
shows that the regime of China is uncivilized in nature.
We solemnly condemn China’s feudalist and imperialistic interests shown by the invasion and oppression of Tibet,
appealing to the Chinese government to release all Tibetan activists who have been incarcerated, asking that the Chinese
government respect the religious freedom of the Tibetan people, allow democracy in their political system and build a free and
independent country.
This year is also the 10th anniversary of the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis. The number of missiles across the Strait
pointed at Taiwan has climbed to 820, which shows the intention of China to forcefully challenge democracy and freedom in
Taiwan.
We appeal to the international community, which cherishes peace and opposes Chinese imperialism, to continue to
show concern for victims such as those in Tibet, Taiwan and internal ethnic groups, and to voice publicly their support in
order to collectively make China walk out of imperialism, increase mankind’s freedom and promote world peace.
In the future, together with the international community, we will continue paying close attention to the fate of Tibet
and the issue of human rights in China. We will continue expressing public support to the Tibetan people in their quest for
freedom and independence. We would also like to send our best wishes to the Tibetan people, hoping that they ultimately
obtain the blessing of Buddha and achieve greater political freedom.
5 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

DPP holds China debate upon so-called Anti-Secession Law anniversary

continued from page 3

Chinese government should face the reality of Taiwan’s sovereignty and independence, respect the democratic
government of Taiwan, and any advancement on the cross strait dialogue should be carried out through reciprocal
consultation with the Taiwanese government.
Also during the debate, DPP Legislator Julian Kuo suggested to Chairman Yu that he should consider the
possibility of a China visit. Legislator Kuo said the DPP internally has an “iron stick”, but at the same time, it should also
have a “wooden stick”, and like playing golf, maybe using the wooden stick will hit the ball farther. Legislator Kuo also
said that facing China’s double-standard policy of hard and soft play, the DPP should use the carrot and stick approach,
emphasizing Taiwan’s sovereignty and independence, but not closing any dialogue or communication in order to seek
what’s best for Taiwan’s interest.
Chang Wu-ueh, associate professor of the Graduate Institute of China Studies of Tamkang University analyzed
the pre-conditions laid out by China before the three political parties could establish dialogue last year. They were: (1) to
insist on the 92 consensus and, (2) to oppose Taiwan independence. Professor Chang said that a platform of
communication and exchange was established between the KMT, the PFP and the Chinese Communist Party last year
hoping to move outside of the model of exchange established by the DPP government. All parties also wanted to
implement their tactics on the Taiwanese people in order to actively influence the opinion of the Taiwanese people in
elections, as well as change the political atmosphere.
Across the Strait, the Chinese leaders gave the appearance that they were being more flexible. The fact remained,
however, that at the end of the talks, China still held on to declaring that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. In
Taiwan, the KMT and the PFP appeared to be powerful parties that could deal with the cross strait situation better than
the DPP.
This tactic has proven successful. The DPP suffered a huge blow while President Chen and the DPP were
isolated. According to Yan Jiann-fa, a debate panelist from the Research and Planning Committee of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the Chinese engaged with the other political parties to isolate President Chen and the DPP, thus creating
a wedge in domestic politics.
Luo Cheng-fang, deputy chief of policy administration of the DPP, said the people of Taiwan are unlikely to
accept China’s strategy in the long-term.
Lai I-chung, director of the DPP’s China Affairs Department, said that the DPP will pursue cross strait peace,
and if dialogue is engaged with China, it should always be for the best interests of the Taiwanese people. Director Lai
said that China will soon have to face the mainstream opinion in Taiwan that Taiwan’s future should be decided by its
people.