President Lai States Cross-Strait Non-Subordination; KMT Counters: Mainland is Not a Foreign Country Under the Constitution

(CNA, Taipei, 17th) President Lai Ching-te stated today that the meaning of the two words 'Taiwan independence' refers to the mutual non-subordination of the Republic of China (ROC) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). The Kuomintang (KMT) responded that while Taiwan is not part of the PRC, according to the ROC Constitution, both sides of the strait belong to one China, and the mainland is not a foreign country to Taiwan. President Lai, who also serves as the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), attended the Taipei session of a youth forum for the DPP's 40th anniversary series of events today. He said that the meaning of 'Taiwan independence' actually refers to Taiwan not being part of the People's Republic of China, indicating that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. The KMT issued a press release stating, 'President Lai, please answer, is the People's Republic of China a foreign country? If the PRC is a foreign country, please ask President Lai to abolish the Mainland Affairs Council and transfer 'China affairs' to the full responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.' The KMT pointed out that according to the Constitution, the cross-strait relationship is not a 'state-to-state' relationship. Former President Ma Ying-jeou clearly defined it as 'mutual non-recognition of sovereignty and mutual non-denial of governing authority.' While Taiwan is not part of the PRC, according to the Constitution, both sides of the strait belong to one China, and the mainland is not a foreign country to Taiwan. The KMT stated that the DPP's 1999 'Resolution on Taiwan's Future,' which claims Taiwan is already a sovereign and independent country called the Republic of China, is a self-deceiving rhetoric used by the DPP to confuse pro-independence supporters, as they dare not declare formal independence and establish a 'Republic of Taiwan.' The Republic of China, founded in 1912, is a sovereign and independent country, and its national title is the Republic of China. The KMT noted that on the eve of the second anniversary of President Lai's inauguration, they would like to ask him, 'Is it so difficult to follow the Constitution of the Republic of China? If President Lai does not want to be a troublemaker and does not want to push 23 million people to the frontline of war, he should return to the 1992 Consensus and oppose Taiwan independence.'