68 quotes found
"I am more than seventy years old. Having lived under different regimes, from Japanese colonialism to Taiwan’s recovery, I have greatly experienced the miseries of the Taiwanese people. In the period of Japanese colonialism, a Taiwanese would be punished by being forced to kneel out in the sun for speaking Tai-yü. The situation was the same when Taiwan was recovered: my son, Hsien-wen, and my daughter-in-law, Yüeh-yün, often wore a dunce board around their necks in the school as punishment for speaking Tai-yü... [Taiwanese peoples’] lives are influenced by history. I think the most miserable people are Taiwanese, who have always tried in vain to get their heads above the water. This was the Taiwanese situation during the period of colonialism; it was not any different after Taiwan’s recovery [that is, the rule of the Chiang-era KMT]. I have deep feelings about this."
"Don't think that because many Taiwanese came from China, Taiwan is a part of China."
"Both the 228 Incident (White Terror in Taiwan) and the June 4 Incident (Tiananmen Square Incident in Beijing) are like mirrors, reminding the leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to engage in soul-searching and learn lessons."
"The mistakes of history might be gradually forgotten, but historical truth cannot be forgotten, since forgetting history could lead to the recurrence of the same mistakes."
"Anyone who embraces the Republic of China with all of their heart definitely does not support the Taiwan independence movement."
"The military should learn a lesson from the incident and correct its mistakes immediately after a review of its system. We must restore the people’s faith in the military."
"This (Taiwanese fisherman shot by Philippines coast guard incident) is not a problem between the people of Taiwan and the people of the Philippines. This is a problem between the people of Taiwan and the Philippine administration."
"I think mutual denial of each other’s sovereignty (between ROC and PRC) and mutual non-denial of respective jurisdictions would be more appropriate, but any proposal has its pros and cons, and I think it’s up for discussion."
"Since 1949, China has been temporarily divided, and each side of the Taiwan Strait is administered by a separate political entity. This is an objective reality."
"We do not and will not promote 'two Chinas', 'one China and one Taiwan' or 'Taiwan independence'. Taiwan and Mainland China share the common heritage. Both sides of the Taiwan Strait are part of the Chinese nation. Their people are descendants of the same ancestors. The people of mainland China and the people of Taiwan share a common bloodline, history and culture. And after five years of peaceful exchange, the two sides have created an unprecedented horizon for the Chinese nation, as well as set an example, not only for East Asia but also for the entire world, on how to settle disputes peacefully. With mutual non-recognition of sovereignty and mutual non-denial of jurisdiction as guiding principles, both sides should continue to expand and deepen their ties in areas such as commerce, culture, technology, environmental protection and human rights."
"There will be no national flags or other kinds of flags designed to specify cross-strait relations inside or outside the offices because we are not foreign nations to each other."
"The two sides of the Taiwan Strait will deepen cross-strait exchanges, and it will be difficult to continue such exchanges without representative offices."
"Pragmatically speaking, there exists no possibility of Taiwan independence. The only option (for Taiwan) is whether to reunify (with Mainland China) or not."
"No ruling out the possibility of unification with China, no support for Taiwanese independence and no use of force."
"President Tsai will end up with a legacy of broken diplomatic relations if she keeps implementing wrongheaded policies like condemning (mainland) China without ever reflecting upon herself."
"Renewable energy has its limitations and the government cannot put all its eggs in the same basket. We must develop different sources of energy, otherwise an energy crisis could result in a serious national security issue."
"We have no reason to be pessimistic about the (cross-strait service trade) agreement or to be afraid of its impact. The government will try its best to minimize possible damage and maximize the business opportunities the agreement can create."
"Providing compensation (to the victims of White Terror) will not write off the incidents once and for all."
"In 1992, the two sides (Taiwan and Mainland China) reached a consensus that each side would verbally express their adherence to the one China principle."
"Our relationship with mainland China is very subtle. We don’t have a state-to-state relationship and we do not view mainland China as a foreign state."
"We know that Hong Kong, after the handover to mainland China, has been trying for universal suffrage … We know that mainland China has made promises and we're of course pleased to see Hong Kong changing in this direction."
"The timing and conditions are ripe for the two sides to set up representative offices (ARATS in Taiwan and SEF in Mainland China). There are no political implications to the plan and the functions of the offices will be basically neutral."
"The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all Chinese by ethnicity. Cross-strait relations are not international relations. Each side acknowledges the existence of "one China", but maintains its own interpretation based on the 1992 Consensus."
"It is impossible for us to recognize (mainland China) as another nation within our (Republic of China) territory."
"They (opposition) say we are selling out Taiwan and that we lost something, but they never say what exactly we have lost."
"Not everyone understands this. But we (ROC government) have done what needed to be done, and we will keep doing so until the very end."
"Traditional Chinese characters carry both cultural significance and artistic values and promoting these characters has nothing to do with any political stance. It's very important for us not to sacrifice the characters for tourism."
"We must actively engage in regional economic integration, as Taiwan is an island with few natural resources and a relatively small economy. Taiwan had signed very few free-trade agreements in the past. How can we not be in a hurry to catch up?"
"There should be no civil war among the Chinese people and no friction across the Taiwan Strait."
"It is not a country-to-country relation between the two sides of the Strait."
"The common ground is that both sides belong to one China, and as for the differences, we will squarely face reality and put aside disputes."
"We are delighted to see that some political parties (e.g. DPP) have decided to change their approach and start a dialogue with mainland China. More communication between Taiwan and the Mainland can only help to reduce differences within Taiwan and achieve consensus, so the KMT welcomes such developments."
"We should continue to abide by the principles of putting aside differences and seeking consensus, and put economics before politics in handling cross-strait relations. This is why we are focused on cross-strait exchanges in the area of economic and trade cooperation."
"While both insist there's only 'one China,' we have different interpretations of 'one China'."
"Cross-strait relations are not nation-to-nation based. These are special relations."
"The more areas in which we (Taiwan and Mainland China) agree, the greater the chances of resolving our differences."
"We should cement political trust between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and continue to define cross-strait relations under the 'one China' framework. Cross-strait relations are special relations."
"The living room is a factory and the rooftop is a farm."
"The tomb of late general Bai Chongxi will form the basis for a Muslim cultural area and Taiwan historical park."
"A government should do what it should be doing, and act when it should be acting in critical circumstances."
"Beijing should face up to the existence of the Republic of China, as it is the best connection linking Taipei and Beijing."
"This is an ever-changing world. Seven years ago, who would have thought that the iPhone would change the world? A year ago, who would have thought that I would become the mayor of Taipei? Just a month ago, who would have thought that I would be standing here in front of you today? However, one thing remains unchanged, and that is the long-lasting friendship that Taipei and Shanghai have established."
"If we work to (make) the welfare of the people our goal based on the concept that both sides (Taiwan and Mainland China) belong to one family, increase the exchange and cooperation between the two sides so as to construct a cross-strait community of a common destiny and to pursue a better future for people on the both sides, then certain deadlock we're facing at the moment can be broken."
"It (Mainland China) should be wiser in handling cross-strait affairs."
"I am willing to respect the 2020 Tokyo Olympics name rectification campaign (from "Chinese Taipei" to "Taiwan"), but I do not like being forced or to encounter people who want others to express their political ideas and do so with loud demands. Frankly speaking, I really dislike this kind of behavior."
"(Despite some people's opposition to Ko's statement of "both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family") Some (Taiwanese) people do expect to continue exchanges with (Mainland) China."
"I used that phrase (both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family) in 2015 and last year (2017). Like I said at the very beginning, we should avoid throwing a wild card and should just stick to old practices."
"What matters most in terms of Cross-Strait relations is that both sides demonstrate goodwill to each other. Nothing works if they (both sides) hold grudges."
"There are various political views in Taiwan. People can hold different political views, (because) the most valuable elements of Taiwanese values are democracy, freedom, diversity and openness."
"Many people say ‘first be friends, then get married’. But if you cannot even reach the first stage, it is hard to tell what comes afterward."
"What matters most (for Taiwan in dealing with Mainland China) is exerting the positive influence of Taiwan and making (mainland) Chinese people envy life on the (Taiwan) island. This would be key to the survival of Taiwan."
"Why would anyone (referring to the Tibetans) choose self-immolation to take their own life? That is weird. Why self-immolation? I do not get it."
"Taipei Mayor Ko hopes to make Taipei the world's most Muslim-friendly tourist spot, and we are approaching that goal step-by-step."
"We hope to accomplish sustainable progress through positive competition (between Taiwan and Mainland China) based on mutual understanding, respect and cooperation, despite the differences caused by long-term separation."
"If President Tsai refuses to accept the '1992 consensus' and refuses to acknowledge its existence, I implore her to provide a specific solution for discourse with (Mainland) China, and not just throw around hipster slogans."
"As for the role of the Taipei City Government, we (the city government) will do our best to listen to different opinions, and will not avoid the (228 Incident) issue."
"When the situation across the Taiwan Strait is tense, we have a need even more for communication and exchanges, and the two cities forum (Shanghai-Taipei City Forum) can be that kind of platform."
"Taipei is committed to becoming a friendly, diverse and inclusive city."
"This [Taiwanese] government, therefore, has always striven to maintain an ever-forbearing attitude with respect to the freedoms of speech, the press, publication and assembly in hopes of liberating Taiwan's people from the spiritual shackles that have bound them. The government has done so not only to enable the people to dare to speak, but to ensure the protection of every person's right to truly speak his or her mind and express views different from those of others."
"In the past, there was no freedom, so we struggled to get freedom. In the past, we were oppressed by the political system, so we opposed the system. But today's Taiwan is a democratic nation. Besides seeking freedom, we must also consolidate the rule of law, accept the responsibilities associated with that, and work together to sustain our system of democratic, constitutional government."
"It is our solemn duty and obligation to defend the peaceful status quo in the Taiwan Strait. It is China that is attempting to use military force to invade Taiwan and to change the peaceful status quo in the Taiwan Strait."
"As the leader of this nation, I want to make Taiwan into a normal country. Even though Taiwan is an independent, sovereign country, it is not yet a normal and complete country. Why do I say that Taiwan is not yet a normal country? Because if it were, it would be a member of the UN family and also be the member of the World Health Organization. Why do I say that Taiwan is not yet a complete country? Because our current Constitution has never been approved by our people. The 23 million people of Taiwan really need a new Taiwan constitution that is timely, relevant, and viable."
"After I finish my term as president, I want to be a happy volunteer. As I have said before, our democratic reform is still ongoing and it must continue to be consolidated and deepened. But there is still a lot we could do regarding strengthening Taiwan-centric consciousness as well as realizing social equity and justice. I think I could be of assistance in this regard. Apart from being a happy volunteer, I also wish to make some contribution as a pusher and a cultivator and a gardener on Taiwan's road to democracy."
"With no clear national identity, our national security cannot be safeguarded, for there will be no basis upon which national interests can be defended."
"Taiwan's democracy embodies not merely a democratic experiment; it signifies an exemplary success. The standard of democracy achieved in Western nations is the result of years of trial and error. By comparison, Taiwan's new democracy, after weathering rough waters, has burgeoned into an even more precious accomplishment. Our experience also serves as a reminder that democracy does not come ready-made, nor is it a utopian ideal. There is no express train to transport us to the final destination. Democratic advancement occurs only through constant and gradual endeavor, one step at a time."
"Taiwan is not a part of someone else, not someone else's local government, and not someone else's province."
"As long as we are united as one, stand firmly in our stride, and master our own direction, I believe we will again open up our own road and carve out the future of Taiwan"
"Our Taiwan road is "a road of democracy, a road of freedom, a road of human rights, and a road of peace for Taiwan". Taiwan is our country. Our country should not be bullied, dwarfed, marginalized, and localized."