Chairpersons Of Democratic Progressive Party

"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."

"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."

"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"

"Taiwan is not a part of someone else, not someone else's local government, and not someone else's province."

"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."

"With no clear national identity, our national security cannot be safeguarded, for there will be no basis upon which national interests can be defended."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"The [mask-wearing] ban [by Hong Kong protesters] represents a setback in democracy."

"We (Taiwan and Mainland China) may not share the same history, but we could have a common destiny and future."

"Once the investigation into the (Nanfang'ao Bridge) collapse is complete, anyone found to bear responsibility for the incident would be strictly punished."

"Many Taiwanese people have been interacting and associating with the Chinese for a long period of time, so their perspectives can be very valuable when addressing issues concerning Mainland China. We should view Mainland China from the perspective of Taiwan as a whole, instead of only from the DPP's point of view."

"Democracy and security do not fall from heaven — they come with a cost."

"The DPP is committed to its responsibilities for the future of Taiwan, is willing to reconcile through dialogue as a means of normalizing Cross-Strait relations, and desires to be a responsible partner of fellow democracies in the Asia-Pacific."

"The DPP will engage (mainland) China with a positive attitude and confidence, hoping to foster constructive and well-intentioned dialogues, while maintaining the party's values and basic positions. Unfortunately, (mainland) China remains stubborn and has always tried to coerce Taiwan into a framework defined by nobody but China."

"If Taiwan can establish a democracy, so can you (Mainland China)."

"Everybody is born as a mother’s child. When a person does not respect life, but only uses death tolls (number of 228 massacre 20,000 victims) to measure how big a historical tragedy was, how then are we to conduct a dialogue with a person like this?"

"(Mainland) China today is like the Chinese Nationalist Party when I first entered politics (in the 1970s), when it tried to control Taiwan through martial law. Today, (Taiwan) society is entirely liberal and we have managed to come this far."

"Taiwan cannot sign such an (peace) agreement (with Mainland China)."

"Kneeling before (mainland) China and begging for mercy would not make Taiwan better."

"Taiwan is a free, democratic and liberal nation, so the government would not issue a mask ban, but the government would not tolerate masked thugs, such as the man who tossed red paint on Hong Kong singer and rights advocate Denise Ho on the sidelines of a rally last month."

"As the premier, I hold the highest executive responsibilities in the country. Seeing the suffering and even death of our people (due to COVID-19 pandemic), when we have not taken care of them as well as we can, I am sorry."

"As long as there is equality, reciprocity and no political preconditions, we (Taiwan) are willing to engage in goodwill with (mainland) China. As for China's harassment of Taiwan with military aircraft, warships, unreasonable suppression and political actions, the one being most unreasonable is China. Taiwan does not want to close the door to China. It is China that has used various means to oppress and treat Taiwan unreasonably."

"Taiwan does not oppose that there is only one China in the world, but that does not mean Taiwan is part of China."

"We should never have a doubt about Taiwan's independent status. Taiwan has been an independent and sovereign country since 23 March 1996, the day of its first direct presidential election."

"Only the blue sky, green land alliance can make Taiwan better."

"The silent annexation is ongoing. The Democratic Progressive Party’s loss of power might be tolerable, but the loss of sovereignty in our time would be an irreversible mistake that would jeopardize future generations."

"Politics should be as simple as possible; it should respond directly to the needs of the people, it should help to solve the problems for the people and this is what I want to do for Taiwan."

"Many people think the DPP does not welcome Chinese tourists. This is definitely not true."

"Taiwan is the Republic of China, the Republic of China is Taiwan."

"President Tsai Ing-wen is a signal lamp casting out China’s looming shadow, conveying to the world that Taiwan will not acquiesce to the Chinese Communist Party."

"We are so proud of your leadership — a woman president in one of the freest societies in the world. We will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan."

"If President Tsai (Ing-wen) 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."

"I want to stress that the situation in Ukraine (being attacked by Russia) and in the Taiwan Strait are fundamentally different, not only because of the natural barrier of the Taiwan Strait, but also Taiwan's geopolitical and strategic status."

"I am saddened to see these scenes of violence against unarmed protesters (in Hong Kong) and hope that Taiwan can continue to serve as a beacon of democracy for those who seek freedom."

"In the face of (Mainland) China's suppression, Taiwan's sincerity towards our friends (states with diplomatic relations with ROC) remains unchanged, as does our position regarding maintaining the peaceful and prosperous status quo in the Asia-Pacific region."

"The institute (Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology)'s researchers laid the foundation for its success by daring to brave the challenges they faced and learning from their failures."

"If (Mainland) China's dream is a dream of democracy, Taiwan will provide all needed assistance in the process of realizing that dream."

"You can have different stances, but it's wrong to hit someone (Culture Minister Cheng Li-chun). What consequence would there be if the same behavior happened in the authoritarian era? The answer is exactly the reason we should cherish the democracy."

"I also hope that Mainland China does not misinterpret or misjudge the current (cross-strait) situation, or think that Taiwanese will bow to such pressure. In a democratic society, this kind of pressure is felt by all. No administration in Taiwan can make a decision that runs counter to public opinion."

"People feel anxious, especially when we have to wonder whether the president, Taiwan's democratically elected president, will be addressed as president. If he (Ma Ying-jeou) cannot even defend his own title, what can he defend for us?"

"I would like to stress that, we would be happy to see normal cross-strait exchanges based on equality and dignity, openness and transparency, and no political talks."