Hsiao Hsu-tsen, vice chairman of the KMT, said US President Donald Trump’s remarks -warning Taiwan island against pushing for “independence” because it believes the US is backing them – is a heavy blow to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Lai Ching-te, in an interview with chinanews.com.
Trump made the remarks in an interview in Beijing with Fox News, where he also said Taiwan should not expect a “blank check” from the US military.
“I’m not looking to have somebody go independent … we’re not looking to have somebody say, let’s go independent because the US is backing us,” Trump said in the program. He also stressed the distance involved, claiming that he was not looking for the US to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war.
When asked by Taiwan media about Trump’s remarks, Taiwan media personnel Jaw Shaw-kong said on Saturday that “Taiwan independence” will only bring disaster to the island. The DPP did not cast aside the “Taiwan independence” agenda only to provoke the mainland and consolidate its status, per reports from the island’s outlets including China Times.
If the DPP is truly wise, it should abandon its “pro-independence” party platform right now, Jaw said, per TTV News.
Earlier, KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun also remarked that “Taiwan independence” is a dead end with no viable path forward, saying it has completely shattered the DPP’s illusions in an online program for the party.
A poll released by a KMT-affiliated think tank on Friday suggested that 80.3 percent of the surveyed believe cross-Straits questions should be addressed through peaceful consultations. Even among DPP supporters, 60 percent adopted the peaceful approach.
Meanwhile, 65 percent supported a chain of peace and prosperity rather than bloc confrontation.
According to Hsiao, relevant regulations in Taiwan and the KMT’s policy positions firmly oppose “Taiwan independence,” and the majority of Taiwan people also reject the cross-Straits risks and troubles brought about by separatist acts.
If the US government can earnestly implement its opposition to “Taiwan independence” in concrete terms, it will send a remarkably positive signal for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, chinanews.com quoted Hsiao as saying.
