Ambassador Stephen S. F. Chen, former representative of the Republic of China to Washington and currently associated with the National Policy Foundation in Taipei. He said that the Government of the Republic of China (ROC) holds the consistent stance that the Diaoyutai Islets belong to the ROC. The Japan Coast Guard’s forcible detention of fishing boats from across the Taiwan Strait in recent months had clearly violated ROC sovereignty, added the retired diplomat. With regard to similar claim of sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islets by Mainland China, Ambassador Chen emphasized his point by citing the ROC Constitution, which stipulates that the ROC’s “existing national boundaries” encompass the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, and surrounding islands. He explained that, leaving aside the issue of which China has the right to claim sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islets, Beijing’s stance did not collide with that of the ROC based on the concept of sovereignty.Is Mr. Chen suggesting that from now on whenever a PRC citizen or craft clashes with a Japanese official or vessel, the ROC Government will have to lodge a protest over Taiwanese sovereignty since PRC citizens and vessels are under its jurisdiction and protected by its authority?
Is this not a clear signal of the massive shift that is currently taking place in the 'status-quo'? Are we all busily filling out forms choosing the 'staus-quo' as the best medium term strategy without realising that our concept of it is fast disappearing? When are we going to wake up and realise that to the CCP and the KMT, 'One China' is the same concept with face-saving variations to account for historical abnormalities and irregularities? As long as the Government gets away with pushing this dirty myth of the ROC effective jurisprudence also covering the PRC, the Taiwanese are vulnerable to a change in the ground beneath their feet. Taiwanese need to deconstruct and ridicule this dangerous notion at every opportunity and ever instance it is uttered. The notion needs to be categorically rejected.
Here's a suggested response to the One-China myth:
"I do not recognise the absurd and false claim that the Republic of China exercises any authority over any part of the Peoples Republic of China. The Republic of China on Taiwan is a Pacific nation which independently exercises real sovereignty over a number of Pacific islands including Penghu, Liudow, Lanyu, Kinmen and Matsu"
