IPAC Founder Urges Taiwan to Send Clear Message to the World After Viewing Film 'A Foggy Tale'

(Central News Agency, reporter Chen Yun-yu, London, 18th) The aftermath of the 'Trump-Xi meeting' on the 15th continues to ripple, with the issue of Taiwan receiving particular attention. Luke de Pulford, co-founder and executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), told CNA that he believes this is a good opportunity for Taiwan to clearly express its position to the world and help the world understand Taiwan better. De Pulford said that in the past few days, international interest in Taiwan's sovereign status, history, and current situation has reached a recent high, as evidenced by the large number of interview requests he has received. He believes Taiwan should 'strike while the iron is hot,' actively speak for itself, carefully dismantle the misinformation and outright lies from Beijing, and loudly clarify what Taiwan is truly pursuing, not allowing Taiwan's voice to be marginalized. De Pulford said the most unsettling aspect of the high-level US-China talks was that 'not a single Taiwanese person was consulted on any matter related to the talks' from beginning to end. To stop this situation, Taiwan must have a seat at the negotiating table, and this 'seat' can only be earned, not expected to be given by others. Having visited Taiwan 15 times and being quite familiar with the Hong Kong issue, de Pulford mentioned that Taiwan and Hong Kong have similarities, in that whether a 'disaster' occurs largely depends on 'other people.' However, among these 'other people,' those who support Taiwan and want to help often have a poor understanding of Taiwan's complex and subtle history, current situation, and sovereignty issues. Taiwan needs to more actively use various platforms to tell its own story to the world, 'both the good and the bad,' as it's 'not just about bubble tea.' Often, the most difficult and uncomfortable things to talk about are the most enlightening. De Pulford emphasized that the world must know what path Taiwan has walked to possibly appreciate why Taiwan will not easily give up its freedom and democracy. IPAC connects parliamentarians from over 40 countries and regional parliaments and is known for its tough stance on Beijing. De Pulford made these remarks on the 17th in London, where he was invited to attend a screening of the film 'A Foggy Tale' and spoke at a post-screening discussion and in an interview with CNA. 'A Foggy Tale' is a film by director Chen Yu-hsun, set against the backdrop of Taiwan's White Terror period in the 1950s. It portrays the tragedy of the era without losing warmth and humor, and shows how people from different backgrounds and life circumstances made various reluctant or active choices in a grand era. Through the clever use of details such as the characters' language habits, life scenes, and daily interactions, the film attempts a more three-dimensional, multi-layered portrayal of various individuals who did not conform to the system, intelligence agents, and ordinary people, transcending provincial and ethnic stereotypes. The film's ending presents Taiwan after the lifting of martial law in 1987 and how Taiwanese society gradually moved through the historical fog to see the light. Organized by the Taiwanese Association in Europe, 'A Foggy Tale' began its European tour in early May. After Germany, France, Ireland, Spain, and Norway, the film reached its final stop in the UK, attracting a full house of nearly 200 people in London. During the screening, suppressed sobs could be heard from the audience. Representative to the UK, Vincent Yao, was also invited to attend. In his opening remarks, Yao stated that in recent years, many artistic creations related to the White Terror have appeared in Taiwan. It is because Taiwan is now a free and democratic society that it is possible to have more understanding and self-reflection about the past through declassified archives and newly unearthed historical materials. Only through collective and individual reflection can a society divided by an authoritarian regime heal, bridge divides, and move forward steadily. However, for foreign friends concerned about Taiwan, not only is the intricate history a 'foggy tale,' but Taiwan's current situation can be as well. De Pulford was candid in the post-screening discussion, stating that he and IPAC members from various countries understand Taiwan better than many non-Taiwanese, but Taiwan's domestic politics still leave them deeply confused and bewildered. De Pulford admitted that sometimes IPAC members from different countries doubt whether the direction they are working in for Taiwan is what Taiwan actually wants. For example, IPAC promotes the passage of motions in various parliaments related to the 1971 UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to counter Beijing's distorted interpretation, emphasizing that the resolution did not decide Taiwan's political status and should not be used to exclude Taiwan from participating in the international system. However, in Taiwan, the Legislative Yuan has been slow to reach a consensus and pass a motion. The defense budget is another point of contention. De Pulford mentioned that the current cross-strait situation has almost reached a stage concerning Taiwan's survival, and Taiwan, in urgent need of international support, must send clear signals to the outside world. Having visited the US multiple times, de Pulford pointed out that some right-wing individuals in the US argue that Taiwan lacks the will for self-defense and will not take action to defend itself, so there is no need for the US to sacrifice for Taiwan. The political signals Taiwan sends abroad should obviously not add fuel to such narratives. De Pulford told CNA that IPAC co-founder and UK co-chair, former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith, had requested a meeting with Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu at a welcome reception held by the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Legislative Yuan delegation on the 14th. According to Smith's understanding, Han agreed, but the meeting did not happen before the delegation left the UK on the 16th. De Pulford said IPAC still looks forward to a dialogue with the Kuomintang (KMT). Currently, IPAC's members in Taiwan are only from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP). The screening of 'A Foggy Tale' in the UK was organized by the Taiwanese Association in the UK, a diaspora organization founded in 1995. President Liao Sheng-en told CNA that the establishment of 'Taiwanese Associations' in various countries was set against the late White Terror period, where overseas Taiwanese connected with each other and collectively gained a deeper understanding of Taiwan's history and culture. The London screening of 'A Foggy Tale' corresponds to Taiwan's 'White Terror Memorial Day' on May 19. In response to civil society initiatives, the Executive Yuan approved the 'White Terror Memorial Day' in 2024 to commemorate the imposition of martial law by the government on May 19, 1949. (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150519