In the interview, Wu reiterated President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) guidelines for cross-strait policies: “no reunification, no independence, and no war.”Objections:
This is the only option to deal with cross-strait relations under current circumstances, he said.
“You don’t have the capability to unify [China] and you don’t want to be unified by it, nor are you capable of declaring independence, which would cause a split domestically, not to mention the possibility of danger from an external force,” Wu said. “Only irresponsible people and idiots would want to seek independence [for Taiwan].”
Later yesterday, the Government Information Office issued a statement saying Wu considered the words “or idiots” to be “unnecessary words.”
The statement said Wu would like to take back “or idiots” because the term was inconsistent with his “mild” and “harmonious” style.
(LOL ... or in other words: "Although I just slapped you in the face, I would like to take back the slap because slapping is inconsistent with my peaceable and non-violent style.")
1. The KMT has the capability to unify, it just lacks the political capital to do so without domestic conflict at this time.
2. President Chen declared Taiwan to be independent many times, just not in an 'official' statement intended for international consumption and recognition.
3. Declaring independence would split a minority of China identifiers with the vast majority of Taiwan identifiers so the threat of a split is a threat from a minority that it will not peaceably accept the will of the majority.
4. Wu and his Government cannot name 'China' or use that name because it would be a) too direct and b) they believe Taiwan to be part of China, albeit the R.O.C.
5. Seeking de jure independence for an already de facto independent state is idiotic and irresponsible whereas subtly seeking annexation and capitulation, under threat, by promising a better economy as a salve is not? Go figure.
6. Not to mention that Wu just labeled at least 45% of the electorate as idiots. Not so suave or clever after all.
7. Declaring the ROC to be an independent country since 1912 = good. Removing the right of Taiwanese to declare their own country over which they exercise self determination as independent under the most logical name = unacceptable. How much longer will Taiwanese be held to hostage by these Chinese cabals?
And in other news:
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) said yesterday that the caucus would file a lawsuit against a student who publicized the cellphone numbers of some KMT lawmakers and asked the public to lodge complaints against the government’s lifting of a ban on US beef.I don't agree with harassing phonecalls but surely it is the process of democracy that citizens be aware of how their elected representatives vote. I think the student should have publicised the numbers of the KMT lawmakers legislative offices, not their personal phone numbers. Still, using legal means to sue a person who is attempting to deepen democratic accountability is a worrying sign ....
Chu Cheng-chi (朱政麒), a student at National Taiwan University’s Department of Sociology who became known after uploading a video of himself eating cow excrement in protest of the government’s relaxation of restrictions of US beef products, publicized the numbers of the KMT lawmakers who supported the amendment to the Act Governing Food Sanitation (食品衛生管理法) proposed by KMT Legislator Kung Wen-chi (孔文吉).
Chu encouraged the public to call the lawmakers to tell them to withdraw their signatures from Kung’s version, which he said was to open the country to US beef and beef products without restrictions.
“Many lawmakers received harassing phone calls and messages after Chu publicized the numbers. The complaint is in place. We will take legal action against Chu,” Lu said.
