JUSTICE PREVAILS IN KAOHSIUNG

MAYORAL 
ELECTION.............................................1 NOVEMBER 2007

CHEN CHIEH-JU TOPS LIST OF DPP
LEGISLATOR-AT-LARGE CANDIDATES…..2
THE ‘1992 CONSPIRACY’ - A KMT
ELECTORAL
PLOY……………….……………......…. 3

2.7 MILLION SIGNED UN PETITION……….4

HAPPINESS PLATFORM………………. 4-8


democracy &
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE DPP’S
progress
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Justice Prevails in Kaohsiung Mayoral Election

DEMOCRACY &
PROGRESS The Taiwan High Court overturned the ruling by a Kaohsiung
Department of district court which annulled Mayor Chen Chu’s 2006 electoral
International Affairs victory.
Democratic Progressive Party

8F, No. 30, Pei-Ping East Rd.
Taipei, Taiwan
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e-mail: foreign@dpp.org.tw
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Chen Chu’s camp had held a press conference the night before the December 9th
elections, unveiling a video which proved that her opponent’s supporters had
engaged in vote buying. The DPP mayoral candidate subsequently won the election
by 1,114 votes. The KMT candidate, Huang Chun-ying, filed two lawsuits which
challenged Chen’s tactics and the electoral results. After the Kaohsiung District
Court annulled the election, Chen Chu appealed the verdict.

Director: The High Court ruled that Mayor Chen did not break any electoral laws. Chairman
Bi-Khim Hsiao Chen Shui-bian stated “The ruling has returned justice to Mayor Chen Chu,
residents of Kaohsiung City, and Taiwan’s democracy… You can’t just say that the
Principal Deputy Director fairness of an election is problematic simply because of a slim margin of victory…it
Dr. I-Chung Lai was still a democratic result.”

Editor: The DPP condemns the KMT’s ongoing intransigence and unwillingness to respect
Roger Lee Huang the democratic will of the people. The DPP continues to believe in the democratic
process and calls upon the pan-blue alliance to show greater integrity during the
2008 elections.
2 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

Chen Chieh-ju Tops List of DPP Legislator-At-Large Candidates

The Democratic Progressive Party recently registered 71 candidates to contest seats in the 7th
Legislative Yuan elections. Out of a total 73 districts, the DPP nominated 69 qualified candidates. In
addition, the party nominated two indigenous candidates to contest the 6 legislative seats reserved for
Taiwanese aborigines, including current legislator Chen Shiu-hui.

The Central Executive Committee (CEC) likewise approved the DPP’s list of 34 legislator-at-large
candidates, with Ms. Chen Jie-ju featured at the top of the list.

Ms. Chen Chieh-ju, Deputy Secretary-General of the Parents' Association for Persons with Intellectual
Disabilities, is well-known in NGO and social welfare circles. By nominating Ms. Chen as the DPP’s
top-ranking legislator-at-large candidate, the DPP signals its strong commitment to providing socially
disadvantaged groups with a voice in the Legislative Yuan. Ms Chen stated that she will use this
opportunity to better serve the public by pushing for further social welfare reforms. She is especially
passionate about the issues of labor rights, special education, and long-term care for the elderly. Ms.
Chen expressed her disappointment regarding the KMT’s lack of commitment to social welfare
committees and organizations.

The candidates were selected in accordance with the DPP’s nomination process and subsequently
approved by the CEC. 18 of the candidates are women and 16 are men. The CEC has also resolved to
support the proposal regarding the concurrent collection of election and referendum ballots.

2.7 million People Signed ‘UN for Taiwan’ Referendum Petition

On November 3rd, more than 50,000 supporters rallied on Ketagalan Blvd in front of the Presidential
Office to watch the conclusion of the torch relay, which highlighted the island’s bid to join the United
Nations (UN). The torch successfully passed through all 25 of Taiwan’s counties and cities.

The DPP collected a record-setting total of 2.7 million signatures from the Taiwanese people, all of
whom supported a referendum on applying for UN membership under the name ‘Taiwan.’

The referendum, expected to be held alongside the March 2008 Presidential elections, will allow the
international community to truly hear the voice of the Taiwanese people.

Since 1993, attempts to join the UN under the name of ‘Republic of China’ have been unsuccessful.
The people of Taiwan deserve proper international recognition, and the name ‘Taiwan’ is the most
appropriate title for membership. It is time for Taiwan to have representation under a name that
accurately reflects the political reality.
3 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

The 1992 ‘Conspiracy’ – a KMT Electoral Ploy

A recent report revealed that the Kuomintang (KMT) temporarily omitted the so-called “1992
consensus” from its annual work program, which was quickly dismissed by KMT party officials as a
“mistake” only a day after the news broke out.

KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou denied that the earlier exclusion of the pro-unification
principles was a KMT policy and referred to the incident as an error, while reaffirming his belief in the
mythical ‘consensus,’ pledging his position on ‘ultimate unification’ with China.

However this incident once again shows the true essence of the KMT party, and how they have
fabricated the so called ‘consensus’ for electoral purposes and to continue promoting a non-existent
‘one-China’ principle.

Taiwan is already an independent, sovereign nation. It is an insult to the Taiwanese people that the
KMT insists on promoting its misguided view on Taiwan’s status, as well as continuing to hold its
illegitimate so-called ‘agreements’ with the Chinese Communist Party.

Former Straits Exchange Foundation official and current KMT legislator Su Chi publicly admitted that
he actually created the ‘1992 Consensus’ in 2000. In reality, China continues to rule out the possibility
that the two sides have a different interpretation on the concept of ‘China’. However, it is impossible
for Taiwan to accept China’s unilateral definition of cross-strait relations and its continual blatant
disregard of an independent Taiwan that is separate from the PRC.

The KMT owes a well-deserved apology to the public and to the government. Secretary-General Cho
Jung-tai has called for the KMT to fully support the government’s position and principles regarding
Cross-Strait relations. The very fact that the KMT at one point deleted the ‘1992 consensus’ from its
work plan suggests that its ‘Return to the United Nations’ referendum is illegitimate and should be
cancelled immediately. Most importantly, the Secretary-General argued, the KMT needs to amend its
party platform and constitution. It should alter its party name from the Chinese KMT (中國國民黨) to
the Taiwanese KMT (台灣國民黨) in order to more appropriately represent the island.

It is unfortunate that the KMT has repeatedly sided with the wrong side of history. During the decades
of democratization in Taiwan, the KMT’s Ma opposed the lifting of martial law, the abolition of
Article 100 of the Criminal Code, and was in favor of indirect presidential elections as opposed to
direct presidential election. Ma Ying-jeou’s continued attempt to promote an out-of-date KMT
nationalist ideology will only endanger the future wellbeing of the Taiwanese people.
4 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

The Pursuit of Happiness in Taiwan (Well-Being Taiwan)

Democratic Progressive Party 2008 Campaign Platform

Preamble: Two Great Challenges and Five Major Transitions

During the 2008 legislative and presidential elections, the Democratic Progressive Party's ability to govern,
create practical philosophy benchmarks, and continue Taiwan's transformation is the key to its sustainable
development. The Democratic Progressive Party, as agents of reform and development in Taiwan, must
explain to the people its core principles regarding the country's future development and actual situation, as
well as propose specific policy commitments.

Despite facing a difficult situation at present, the Democratic Progressive Party pledges to maintain a
responsible attitude and promises the people it will pursue a course of happiness in Taiwan. The DPP will
tackle serious challenges both in and outside the nation, using its own development niche. It will continue to
create successful reforms, and promote happiness for the people living in a beautiful and good country. This
is a glorious mission, and the Democratic Progressive Party cannot forsake its responsibility to Taiwan’s
history, land and its people.

Taiwan faces two major challenges. The international trend of globalization represents a major external
challenge. Transnational marriage caused by new emigration will gradually change the structure of Taiwan's
population. We must pay attention to families which generally possess a lower socioeconomic status, the
social impact of the widening gap between the rich and the poor, and the language and culture gap brought
about by the urgency of social integration. Moreover, Taiwan must face China's enhanced international
influence. China uses its market as a diplomatic tool to apply pressure on the foreign community and shrink
Taiwan's international living space. Internally, Taiwan faces the challenge of rising to the demands for
further democratic reforms. It is not enough to merely deconstruct the former authoritarian regime or
increase the number of direct democratic elections. Instead, the Taiwanese governing structure must deepen
and consolidate democratic reforms in order to create a mature, stable democracy that celebrates the rich
diversity present in Taiwanese society.

Advocating a Seven-Point Plan for Change in Taiwan

1.) A Layout of Global Market Innovation in Taiwan

We cannot possess a cross-Strait common market mentality, which only plays into the “One-China” myth.
We will enter into trade agreements that respect Taiwan’s strength and sovereignty. Likewise, the DPP seeks
to drive innovation, trade, and economic services in the era of globalization. We advocate the following path
of development:
5 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

a.) Pursue a path of sustainable development by developing an autonomous economy and diversifying
our markets. We cannot bind ourselves to the KMT’s antiquated thinking, which would make
Taiwanese development dependent on the Chinese economy.
b.) Promote Taiwan’s innovative communications environment and global e-communication
operations, in order to create a framework for Taiwan to serve as a hub for entrepreneurship and
value-added production in the Asia-Pacific region.
c.) Create a new model to promote Taiwan’s culture industry, as we are a culturally diverse nation in
Asia.
d.) Spark a green revolution in Asia by promoting new and renewable sources of energy.
e.) Ensure that no regions of Taiwan are left behind on the global economic superhighway, and must
thus seek a path of common development and economic prosperity in order to link all of Taiwan to
the global market.
f.) Facilitate government assistance of local industries to further develop global brands.

2.) Creating a people-centered, ‘well-being’ economy

The fruits of economic development should be shared equally by all people. The government should pursue
a path of economic growth that enables people to gain the greatest happiness while protecting our
environment. Conversely, moving towards a cross-Strait “common market” would harm the Taiwanese labor
market and the long-term survival of our SMEs. We must likewise work to enhance the government’s GDP
growth rate and per-capita income while promoting balanced regional development, social welfare, and the
promotion of social justice. We thus advocate the following plan:

a.) Promote cultural and art-based industries to facilitate the appreciation of Taiwanese civilization.
b.) Promote the creation of an innovative knowledge-based society in Taiwan.
c.) Protect the environment to create a green economy and healthy living environment for the
Taiwanese people.
d.) Protect disadvantaged groups by strengthening social welfare programs
e.) Create a policy of balanced regional development: ensure that resources are distributed fairly and
develop local industries and tourism throughout Taiwan.

3.) Fair and Just Investment in Our People

The Democratic Progressive Party has made it a priority to build an equitable and fair society in Taiwan. We
seek to improve the social welfare system and provide job opportunities and financial security for our
people, in order to create a nation of happy and harmonious communities. We advocate the following
policies:
a.) Invest in the people, expand the winner’s circle: reduce social exclusion by providing diverse
employment and educational opportunities.
b.) Promote national health and improve the quality of care. The government must manage medical
resources properly, curb waste, ensure universal access to quality services, and require that all
institutions remain open and transparent.
6 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

c.) Create labor policies to promote job training and employment opportunities for people from socially
and economically disadvantaged groups.
d.) Create an inclusive multicultural society by caring for immigrant families.
e.) Promote a strategy to provide public services for groups requiring special care, such as children,
elderly, handicapped, and the mental disabled.
f.) Promote community-based economic development and employment by improving the accessibility
of and attracting investment in the service industry.
g.) Encourage women to enter the workplace and promote gender equality.
4.) Create Equal Educational Opportunities to Enhance Our Quality of Life

Faced with globalization and a rapidly changing knowledge-based economy and society, we must jettison the
old thinking which characterized our authoritarian past. We must recognize our students’ capacity to think
creatively, independently, and critically in order to cultivate a new generation of talented leaders and increase
our global competitiveness. Moreover, we believe that education plays an important role in promoting social
justice. We thus advocate the following policies:

a.) Provide every child with access to a high-quality education and economic assistance to
disadvantaged students pursuing higher education opportunities.
b.) Improve the quality of education and teachers to benefit all students.
c.) Strengthen the links between education, employment, and entrepreneurship to enhance the quality of
life for our young people.
d.) Provide adults with ample opportunities for lifelong learning to help people enrich the quality of
their lives, inspire them to participate in public affairs, and promote social cohesion and reform.
e.) Promote a clear understanding of the Taiwanese language and culture among students, as well as a
respect for our ethnic and cultural diversity.
f.) Expand our global vision to promote the internationalization of education, in order to facilitate
international exchange and face increasing global competition.

5.) Creating a Richer and More United Multi-Ethnic Country

The Democratic Progressive Party enshrined the value of diversification into its party platform; since 2000, we
have promoted a policy of cultural diversity and given a new voice to people from all backgrounds in our
society. We will continue to promote multicultural policies which recognize that “dialogue and pluralism” as
well as “diversity and exchange” are essential for all cultural groups to mutually support each other and help
strengthen society. A multiethnic and pluralistic society builds a healthy culture of innovation and leads to
national prosperity. We therefore advocate the following policies:

a.) Establish a framework for interethnic communication, mutual support, and mutual exchanges,
in order to allow all ethnic and social groups to enter the public domain and make Taiwan a
multilingual, harmonious society.
7 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

b.) Pursue a path of historical reconciliation by recognizing indigenous land rights and
promoting the development of indigenous political autonomy.

c.) Remove vestiges of Taiwan’s authoritarian history; instead, we must respect the multiethnic
experiences of our people by honoring their collective memories and cultural relics to better
reflect our nation’s shared dignity.

d.) Respect the dignity of Chinese culture as a reflection of post-war immigration and a core
element of our cultural identity. We should encourage Chinese culture to flourish as a part of
our free, pluralistic Taiwanese society.

e.) Implement transitional justice in the post-martial law era to deepen and consolidate
constitutional democracy.
f.) Promote internal and cross-cultural dialogue to respect local culture while contributing to
global cultural diversity

g.) Establish a new immigration culture to support immigrants and create a more healthy and
robust multicultural society.

6.) Deepen Democratic Reforms, Implement Participatory Democracy

The Democratic Progressive Party has played a fundamental role in enacting Taiwan’s democratic
transition. However, we must take further steps to create a more mature democracy and vibrant,
multicultural civil society. Our government must continue to grow more transparent, effective, and
promote participatory democracy. We therefore advocate the following policies:

a.) Deepen the process of ‘localization’ and build a modern constitutional

system. Taiwan should adopt either a presidential or parliamentary system when reforming the
constitution. We must revise the constitution to permanently remove references to the
provincial government. Likewise, we should put counties and cities on equal footing and do
away with village and town elections.

b.) Streamline the number of ministries by enacting the Executive Yuan Organization Law.
Review central administration operations to promote government flexibility and efficiency.

c.) Enhance the professionalism and transparency of the Legislative Yuan by promoting a system
of full-time lawmakers. Reform the legislative system to promote transparency and
professionalism at every juncture.

d.) Promote a balanced allocation of resources and improve local governance

capacity to improve management efficiency.
8 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

e.) Establish a Ministry of Internal Affairs to create fair competition between

political parties and implement transitional justice.

f.) Promote the further development of a vibrant and pluralistic civil society
and increase government transparency in the decision-making process.

g.) Promote participatory democracy, especially the use of referenda, in order

to deepen democratic reforms in Taiwan.

7.) Promote the Normalization of International Relations

The rise of China, the difficulties posed by globalization, and outdated modes of diplomatic
thinking all represent challenges to Taiwan’s attempts to normalize its international relations. We must
make the creation of a new diplomatic strategy our highest goal. Taiwan must ensure that it plays a role
in shaping the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific Region and demonstrates tremendous diplomatic
flexibility, innovation, and efficiency around the world. We advocate the following policies:

a.) Normalize Taiwan's international status. Taiwan actively seeks to join the United Nations, seek
diplomatic recognition from the United States and other nations, promote the use of the name
“Taiwan” abroad, and participate in additional international organizations and activities.

b.) Promote equal relations between Taiwan and China on political, economic, social, and cultural
fronts, among others. Protect Taiwan’s sovereignty and dignity in the face of Chinese
intransigence in all international fora.

c.) Reject old-fashioned diplomatic thinking in favor of applying a flexible, innovative, and
efficient approach to foreign policy creation that is more appropriate for a nation of its size.

d.) Orient Taiwan towards Pacific Rim nations, rather than focusing on the
KMT’s imagined “border” with China, in the spirit and framework of globalization.

e.) Promote the democratic development and the pursuit of human rights and
freedom in China.

f.) Strengthen cooperation with the United States, Japan, and India to promote a balance in the
Asia-Pacific region and curb Chinese expansion.

g.) Promote Taiwan’s role as a guardian of democracy and human rights in the Asia-Pacific
region. Take advantage of the opportunities provided by globalization to participate in a variety
of NGOs which share the same values as Taiwan.