The review committee approved the KMT referendum proposal Aug. 28, which asked whether the nation should seek to "re-enter" the United Nations and join other world organizations using the name "Republic of China, Taiwan or other practical titles that would facilitate a successful membership bid and uphold the nation's identity."
The KMT proposal, put forth for examination by its vice presidential candidate Vincent Siew, was seen as the party's countermeasure against the DPP referendum plan. The DPP proposal asked simply whether the nation should apply for U.N. membership under the name Taiwan. Both parties looked to hold the referendums along with the presidential election, slated for March 22, 2008.
The contradictory decisions made by the RRC drew renewed criticism on the controversial make-up of the committee. The members are recommended by political parties with the number of seats proportionate to the parties' seats in the Legislative Yuan, according to the Referendum Act of 2003.
The Northern Taiwan Society, a pro-independence group made up of activist professors, called a press conference Aug. 29 to say the RRC should be abolished for being partisan rather than independent. The group also accused the RRC of applying double standards to proposals with similar agendas.
The KMT put forth its referendum to attract voters because a recent series of opinion polls showed that the majority of people supported seeking U.N. membership under the name Taiwan, Yang Ming University Professor Allen Houng stated in the press conference.
The RRC voted eight-to-four for the KMT proposal. The eight affirmative votes were all by members representing the KMT. The four negative votes were from Non-Partisan Solidarity Union representative Yang Tai-shun, Taiwan Solidarity Union member Chien Lin Whei-jun, as well as Hu Tsu-ching and Ma Chieh-ming, who were recommended by the People First Party. The eight DPP representatives resigned from the committee in protest following its rejection of the DPP referendum bid.
Chien Lin said she opposed the KMT proposal because the wording was ambiguous. Pointing out that the plan did not specify the name to be used, as the DPP proposal did, Chien Lin added that the phrase "ROC or Taiwan or other practical titles" would lead to confusion for voters, the Chinese-language China Times reported Aug. 29.
The PFP representatives were against the proposal because they believed it was not necessary to hold a referendum on this topic, since it would involve changing the nation's name, which in fact should only be done through a constitutional process, Hu said in the same report.
The PFP also released a statement to oppose both the DPP and the KMT referendum proposals, saying such actions would strain the triangular relationship between Taiwan, China and the United States.
TSU Caucus Whip Tseng Tsahn-deng denounced the design of the KMT proposal of seeking to "re-enter" the United Nations as "illogical," since the ROC seat was transferred to the People's Republic of China in U.N. Resolution No. 2758. Re-entry was not possible, and Taiwan should make a new application, he said in an Aug. 28 report by Taiwan's Central News Agency.
The DPP Secretary-General Lin Chia-lung stressed Aug. 28 that the issue for Taiwan was not with re-entering the United Nations. "Taiwan was never a U.N. member, so there can be no talk of re-entering," he stated. Lin explained that before 1971, Chiang Kai-shek and his party representatives in the United Nations stood for China, not Taiwan.
"Asking to re-enter under the name ROC is tantamount to admitting Taiwan is a part of China," Lin stressed, adding this would not help the country with its sovereignty and diplomacy.
Meanwhile, the DPP started its second-stage signature drive after the Executive Yuan's Petitions and Appeals Committee overturned the RRC's rejection of the DPP referendum proposal July 12. The party expected to collect over 1 million signatures by the end of October, DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun stated Aug. 24 when the party launched a campaign for its U.N. bid.
The KMT also launched the second-stage signature campaign following the RRC's approval. The party expected the number of signatures to exceed 1 million by the end of September, KMT Organization and Development Committee Director Liao Fung-te said in an Aug. 28 CNA report.
While the DPP scheduled to hold a large rally in Kaohsiung Sept. 15 to push for its bid, the KMT will hold another in Taichung on the same date. KMT Spokesperson Su Jun-pin stressed that the party would adopt a pragmatic strategy in pushing for its U.N. bid, in contrast to the DPP's radical approach.
According to the Referendum Act, initiators are required to gather enough signatures from voters supporting a specific referendum bill within six months after it passed review by the RRC. The requirement is to gain 5 percent of all eligible voters in the latest presidential election, or at least 825,359 signatures. The Central Election Committee then has to arrange a referendum.
If both parties reach the target in their separate signature drives, then there would be two referendums on securing the country's U.N. seat next year.
Although it supported joining the U.N. under the name Taiwan, the TSU worried that two referendums being held simultaneously would make it difficult to reach a majority, or 8.25 million votes, for the proposal to become binding, and would only worsen the tension between the two camps, Tseng stated.
Write to June Tsai at june@mail.gio.gov.tw