“I hope Beijing will carry out reforms while maintaining economic prosperity and development,” Ma said. He added that democracy and human rights are Taiwan’s core values and he hopes they will become a shared cross-strait language.
Ma’s remarks came in response to mainland China’s “jasmine revolution,” a Feb. 19 online movement exhorting people to protest for political reforms in major mainland Chinese cities the following day. The demonstration is believed to have been encouraged by the Tunisian revolution last month, and similar grassroots movements in Egypt and other Middle East nations.
Echoing the president’s comments, the Mainland Affairs Council expressed hope that Beijing will up efforts to ensure a sound judicial system, social equality and human rights.
“Such developments would bridge cross-strait differences in core values and be conducive to sustainable peace and stability,” MAC officials said.
Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, also endorsed the mainland Chinese movement. “This is a noteworthy phenomenon and represents a substantial change in international trends.”
“Democracy and human rights are the two most important values in the defense of Taiwan against a powerful China,” she added. (THN)
Write to Elaine Hou at mailto:elainetzuyinghou@mail.gio.gov.tw