chairpersons-of-kuomintang

"We must enlarge political participation, safeguard freedom and human rights, and assure that democracy and freedom are based on the will of all the people."

"Asia is an issue for the world. The issue with Asia is China. China’s problem is the existence of the Chinese Communist Party, which is a snake that has turned its back on the wishes of the Chinese people and causes pain for the rest of the world."

"Since the Restoration of Taiwan, we have suffered the buffeting of adverse international political tides and economic upheavals. But we have never been worried or apprehensive. We have followed the course of our principles. We have striven to fulfill our national responsibility with one will and one heart, and have carried out political, economic, social and cultural development step by step. We have regarded the great devotion shown by our mainland compatriots in recovering Taiwan 33 years ago as our spiritual lodestar for the national recovery today. We have built a psychological Great Wall and persisted in our confident waging of the struggle against Com­munism with total sincerity and the fortitude essential to success."

"In this historic course, the Chinese Communists staged a nationwide insurgency, resulting in the fall of the mainland into Communist hands. The Communist rule of the last more than 30 years has brought a catastrophe to the Chinese people and has testified to the fiasco of the Communist system. Although the Chinese Communists are plagued by ideological contradictions, political corruption, economic destitution and military disintegration, their power struggle has never stopped. As long as this tyrannical Communist rule is allowed to go on, millions upon millions of our compatriots on the mainland will remain in the crucible of poverty and darkness."

"To talk peace with the Chinese Communists is to invite death. This is an agonizing, bloodstained lesson that we and many other Asian countries have learned."

"We must make use of every minute, value every unit of our material power and pool the wisdom and talent of all so that we can accentuate both our visible national defense combat capability and our invisible political, social and cultural vitality, and combine these into a powerful, compact and undivided force."

"We can say positively and clearly that the Republic of China will never change its determination to remain in the democratic camp and oppose Communism. We shall never change our position of not negotiating or compromising with the Communist enemy. Our fundamental policy and attitude in international politics is to strengthen friendly and moral relations with free nations and fulfill all of our obligations and responsibilities under the preconditions of anti­ Communism and national recovery."

"Our progress toward democracy should be evolutionary and not imprudent; democracy must be adapted to our own national environment so it can strike root in our own soil."

"I shall from now on try my best and most sincerely and call on all my wisdom and ability to face the challenge of reality with fortitude and determination in company with all my compatriots of the nation. I shall make careful plans and seek judicious judgments to attain the goals of national construction. I shall make every sacrifice to de­monstrate my loyalty and give myself to the service of winning the final victory for national recovery and reconstruction together with all the people of the country"

"The seventies of the Republic of China is an era of crucial test to see whether we are up to this historic task. All Chinese must treat one another with love and sincerity, unite as one for the common cause, and march forward courageously and hand in hand on the avenue of victory in carrying out this sacred task."

"As long as we can uphold democracy, remain firm on the side of the free world, work hard for self-reliance without laxity, unite as one, and take the implementation and glorification of the Three Principles of the People as our personal responsibility, we are sure to succeed in laying a firm foundation for national renaissance and win the great undertaking of resisting Communism and national recovery."

"Facts are more eloquent than words. The certainty of the reign of the Three Principles of the People was affirmed long ago by the contrast between the political stability, economic prosperity, social harmony, and educational popularization evidenced in the free area of China and the totalitarian dictatorship, impoverished life, bleak backwardness, and widespread uncertainty found on the Chinese mainland. The unanimous aspirations of the Chinese across the world today are to remove Communist evils from Chinese soil, to save the people on the mainland from the deep waters, and to restore to the Chinese mainland the benevolent rule of the Three Principles of the People at an early date. This historic task lies squarely on the shoulders of every Chinese living in freedom."

"The fierce conflict confronting us will decide our fate - whether it is to be "glory or humiliation, freedom or slavery."

"'To the Communists, peace talks are another form of warfare. Although the two look different, the aim is identical."

"During the last 69 years, the Republic of China has lived in suspense, shocks, disturbances and uncertainty. The people have endured various ordeals and suffered from all sorts of humiliations in their struggle for national independence, freedom, prosperity and happiness. They have sweated themselves and shed their blood heroically. They have never shown the white feather under any challenge, surrendered to any force, or bowed to any enemy. This immortal record registered by the Republic of China in modern history for national independence, freedom and equality will shine eternally in the world."

"We must have determination to eliminate violent elements if we want to bring peace and prosperity to the citizenry. The violent elements are few, but if we don't eliminate them, we cannot bring prosperity and peace to the millions of people."

"Dear fellow countrymen: Our beautiful land is still stained with blood by the Communists, and the turbulent Yangtze and Yellow Rivers still flow day and night toward the vast seas in the east. Like the continuing flow of the Yangtze, our goal of anti-Communism and for national recovery will never change. The "helm of history," so crucial to the destiny of our people, is in our hands."

"At this moment, every one of us greets the new era with matchless excitement, joy, optimism and hope. And all of us are convinced that the seventies of the Republic is bound to be an era for the reign of the Three Principles of the People and the recovery of the Chinese mainland."

"If I am elected (as the Kuomintang) party chairperson, the necessary discussion or debate are things that should be done. Every proposition, if I am the party chairperson, I would need to respect. The most important thing is to be able to form a consensus after discussions. The role of the party chair is to serve as a platform for how to let this project of reforming and transforming (Kuomintang) run smoothly."

"Kuomintang is an inclusive political party, and different opinions can be discussed."

"History (white terror in Taiwan) cannot be forgotten. There is no history that cannot be declassified, no truth that cannot be revealed."

"Both of our (Mainland China and Taiwan) legal and governance systems were built following the 'one China' structure. That is why Cross-Strait relations are not state-to-state relations and there is no room for Taiwanese independence."

"I believe that the peaceful development of cross-strait ties will continue to be deepened and institutionalized."

"One China; peace on both sides of the (Taiwan) Strait; mutually beneficial integration; strive for a Chinese revival."

"The Republic of China has always adhered to the path of democracy and freedom and will surely do so in the future."

"We should harbor a positive mentality to any cross-strait development and exchange."

"(Shinzo) Abe is forever Taiwan's good friend."

"There is no right or wrong method (for party's primary election). As long as we choose the most appropriate method at the time, that is the right method."

"The development of Cross-Strait relations is not decided unilaterally by any one side. It depends on a consensus on both sides."

"I have learned to never give up, to take the necessary risks to win and to seek victory amid defeat. This is the spirit of Taiwan. We stick with it to the end and never quit."

"Only through dialogue and exchanges and mutual respect can we promote goodwill and resolve the estrangement between the two sides of the strait."

"To safeguard the KMT’s reins of government and majority in the legislature, as well as the future of the public and the Republic of China, I must apologize (for breaking my promise to serve as New Taipei City mayor in full term) to each New Taipei City resident who supports me. I want to tell every Taiwanese and resident of the city that I am doing this (going for the 2016 ROC presidential election) because I have to protect the ROC we love, the democratic politics we have fought to preserve and our healthy democracy of checks and balances."

"I am always with all of you and everyone's old pal. But it's better not to call me old."

"I had no option to turn down the (Vice Premiership) appointment or make other choices as the country needs me at a time when it is facing the most trying challenge it ever has faced."

"The 930,000-odd voters that supported my rival over me and the greater number of voters (than in the 2010 election) who chose not to take part in this (2014) election or were unwilling to come to express support, whatever the reason - as the incumbent mayor, my city government team and everyone else will certainly review (this election) with humility."

"I had previously stated on many occasions that I would not run in the 2016 presidential election. But at this crucial moment, it was a decision I had no choice but to make in order to improve the health of Taiwan's democracy."

"This is the time we have to make a decision (to replace Hung Hsiu-chu as the KMT candidate for 2016 ROC presidential election), and it is a decision we have to make."

"The KMT after 17 October (2015) will be a united KMT. As chairman, I cannot let the party become history."

"Then I remembered the phrase 'do not forsake your original intentions' — which was why I decided 17 years ago to run as a legislator and make changes to our society to make the lives of the next generation better and give Taiwan's future more hope."

"It's time that six decades of separation (between Taiwan and Mainland China) and previous generations' confrontation be ended. Let the current and the future generations choose common development and jointly create a situation of mutual benefits."

"If we don't put forward such a proposal (signing a peace pact with Mainland China) and start negotiating with (Mainland) China, how can we know we will not achieve any results?"

"If I win (2016 ROC presidential election), I will promote peace development across the Taiwan Strait and let people enjoy the benefits."

"In the face of our (KMT) unprecedented, crushing defeat (in 2014 Republic of China local and municipal election), we have no time for a power struggle."

"With a woman's selflessness and kindness, I look to end populism and political wrangling between the blue and green camps in the coming (2016 ROC) presidential election against Tsai (Ing-wen)."

"The ultimate goal of laws is to educate the society to abide by the law and law by itself can only address the symptoms, but education can reach deep into our heart, which is far more effective to set the society on the right course. So, education is the fundamental solution. Although I am an educator, I am marching toward the same goal as a lawyer and there is no need to feel disappointed."

"This (KMT) party can forsake me, but I will not abandon this party."

"I am accused of deviating from mainstream public opinion simply because I told the truth. Is this really the case?"

"I will not hesitate to even sell my house. It (Kuomintang) is my party and I will save it myself."

"Since I'm shouldering this commitment, I will do it with courage and without fear. Being the president of the Republic of China is no simple task."

"People should remember history so they can truly cherish what they have now."