PROPOSES 'TWO CHINAS' TO COUNTER BEIJING'S 'ONE CHINA'

[Suldaanka]

Taipei, March 5 (CNA) Vice President Annette Lu proposed Saturday that the government declare to the world the existence of "two Chinas" to counter Beijing's "one China" policy. Lu put forth the idea during an interview with a local media organization in the wake of President Chen Shui-bian's recent statements that he has no plans to change the official name of the country from the Republic of China to "Republic of Taiwan" during his term. Lu pointed out that while there is a communist People's Republic of China, there is also a free and democratic Republic of China on Taiwan. Under this "two Chinas" framework, the anti-secession law that Beijing is planning to enact will be inapplicable to Taiwan, because the law will only be effective in territory controlled by the PRC, Lu argued. According to Lu, Beijing compelled Taipei to accept the "one China" policy during talks held in Hong Kong in 1992, and both sides later came to a compromise that allowed either side to express in oral form their respective interpretations of the meaning of "one China, " with Beijing insisting that "one China" refers to the PRC and Taipei insisting that "one China" refers to the ROC.

 

This so-called "1992 consensus" established during the time of the former Kuomintang (KMT) government reflected the fact that there are "two Chinas," Lu said. Lu suggested that the opposition KMT, as a supporter of the "1992 consensus, " openly confess it is following a policy of "two Chinas" and take the lead in promoting the idea of "two Chinas." She agreed with Chen that the ROC is the largest area of common ground between the different political camps in Taiwan on the controversial issue of national identity. In response to the vice president's proposal, KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung said that although the concept of "two Chinas" is closest to the reality, it cannot solve the problems across the Taiwan Strait. Chang said the KMT believes the government should allow a certain extent of ambiguity in dealing with cross-strait issues, because anything else will only lead to confrontation. Meanwhile, the pro-independence opposition Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) criticized the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for "deceiving itself and the people of Taiwan" by putting forth the idea of "two Chinas."

 

According to TSU legislative caucus convener Lo Chih-ming, the idea will be accepted by neither Beijing nor the international community. Lo claimed that the ROC vanished from the world after its United Nations membership was replaced by the PRC in 1971, noting that nobody recognizes the existence of the ROC today with the exception of a group of fewer than 30 diplomatic allies bought by Taiwan through checkbook diplomacy. Lo insisted that the cross-strait status quo is "one China, one Taiwan" or "one country on either side" and that the destiny of Taiwan should be decided by its people. (By Y.F. Low) ENDITEM/J