Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwan will not accept a Hong Kong-style governance model as proposed by Beijing, the vice-presidential candidate for the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party has said, calling One Country, Two Systems “a failure” two days ahead of the self-ruled island’s pivotal election.
“One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong, it’s a failure, Taiwan will not accept One Country, Two Systems,” Jaw Shau-kong said during a KMT press conference in Taipei on Thursday morning.
Addressing international media alongside the party’s presidential hopeful Hou Yu-ih, Jaw pointed to Hong Kong’s recent opposition-free District Council election, saying through an interpreter that the record-low turnout showed that Hongkongers were “against the system in Hong Kong.”
Just 27.5 per cent of eligible voters took part in last month’s restricted local elections, which saw the number of democratically elected council members cut from 452 to 88 amid an electoral overhaul that ensured only “patriots” could run – shutting pro-democracy candidates out of the race.
When Taiwan heads to the polls on Saturday, the KMT hopes to take back control from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which has been in power for two four-year terms. Historically more conservative than the DPP, the KMT favours warmer ties with Beijing, with Hou repeatedly stating on Thursday that he hoped to increase trade and resume tourism links with mainland China.
Ties with Beijing – which considers Taiwan to be a breakaway province to be unified by force, if necessary – have soured under outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen. Her administration has prioritised establishing Taiwan’s position on the global stage and fostering relations with Washington.
Hou has framed Saturday’s presidential election as a choice between “war and peace,” saying on Thursday that “we are already on the brink of war.” However, he said that, if elected, “during my tenure I will not address the issue of unification.”
Former Taiwan president and KMT member Ma Ying-jeou said that the island must trust China’s leader Xi Jinping.
“In terms of cross-strait relations, we must trust [Xi],” Ma said in a Mandarin-language interview with German public media Deutsche Welle (DW) on Tuesday.
“I don’t believe that [Xi] is promoting unification… he is also well aware that unification cannot be achieved overnight. It will take many, many years and must be done with the consent of the people,” Ma said.
“When I met officials in mainland China last year, I told them that there are two very important factors in cross-strait relations: peace and democracy… If they can be accomplished, the people of Taiwan may be interested in accepting [unification],” Ma said.
In response to Ma’s remarks, a DPP spokesperson said that the former leader had presented the KMT as promoting “reunification,” adding that Hou should clarify whether the KMT stood by Ma’s trust in Xi.
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je said it was dangerous for Taiwan to place its trust in others. Ko, whose TPP has positioned itself as a “third party,” said that Taiwan should first trust itself and be better prepared for cross-strait relations.
Jaw on Thursday accused the DPP of having “forgotten” about the people of Hong Kong, saying it had played the “Hong Kong card,” in 2020. Tsai won re-election that year with a record 8.17 million votes. She cited the crackdown on protests in Hong Kong as proof that the One Country, Two Systems model was unacceptable for the island.
The KMT vice-presidential candidate cited a student leader from Hong Kong, who said that Tsai had exploited the Hong Kong issue but offered no assistance to the city or its residents.
“I think we should open our door to [Hongkongers] if they are willing to come here,” Jaw said on Thursday. “You can see a lot of talents, great talents, [coming] from Hong Kong.”
Jimmy Lai support
Jaw also spoke of his close friendship with detained Hong Kong media magnate Jimmy Lai, who is currently on trial over alleged violations of the Beijing-imposed national security law, for which he faces life in prison if convicted.
“Jimmy Lai was my good friend, we used to have dinners and meals together, he really is a gourmet lover,” Jaw said, adding, “I have been advocating for his freedom a lot.”
He added: “We are concerned about the Hong Kong issue, I hope that we can all abide and uphold our freedom and democracy.”
Saturday’s poll will affect 23 million Taiwanese, and is set to shape the geopolitical posture of an island sat between two superpowers. Director of the CIA William Burns said last year that US intelligence showed Beijing was preparing to make a move on Taiwan, with the Chinese military told to prepare for an invasion by 2027.
US President Joe Biden has vowed, four times, to defend Taiwan from attack though it is uncertain whether Washington would directly involve itself in a conflict.
Additional reporting: Irene Chan
Dateline:
Taipei, Taiwan
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