Legislative Yuan Unanimously Passes KMT Resolution on Restoration of Official ROC-US Relations
October
7, 2020
Yesterday
(10/6), the Kuomintang (KMT) proposed a resolution to restore official ROC-US
diplomatic ties. This has always been our ultimate goal and highest hope
regarding ROC-US relations. Thus, the KMT expresses utmost disappointment at Su
Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), who have bypassed
the legislative process to alter the ROC-US bilateral relationship. All foreign
policies must be subject to extensive dialogue and scrutiny in the Legislative
Yuan before they are implemented.
In
another resolution, the Legislative Yuan requests the US government to assist
Taiwan in the case of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military attack. Although
the final decision to assist Taiwan lies in the hands of Washington, US support
for Taiwan also first requires a direct request from the ROC government. Thus,
this resolution differs from the idea of US permanent assistance of Taiwan's
defense, and its terms also differ from those of a mutual defense treaty; the
DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) should have no reason to oppose it.
Naturally,
the DPP is trying to increase its political leverage by launching an offensive
against this indisputable resolution. Premier Su Tseng-chang claims that the
reason the ROC doesn’t presently have official diplomatic ties with the US is
“all because of KMT actions”. Rather than castigating the CCP and US
politicians who are sacrificing the ROC's interests, Premier Su has instead
decided to pin the blame domestically on the KMT. This indicates that he does
not genuinely agree with our resolution.
The
Legislative Yuan’s decision to unanimously pass both of the KMT’s resolutions
shows that the DPP has finally agreed to reorient our government towards the
core interests of the people of the ROC. "Being close to the US" is a
must but establishing stronger ROC-US relations should never come at the
expense of our national interests and citizens' livelihoods.