The Declaration of 2010 Conference on Taiwan National Affairs
The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Taiwan is confronting an unprecedented domestic and international crisis. China’s expanding military hegemony has resulted in the deployment of 1,500 missiles aiming at Taiwan and constant provocation in the Taiwan Strait to fulfill its plan to take over Taiwan. At the same time, China engages in legal, mass media, and psychological warfare against Taiwan, plotting conspiracies, with harmless sounding titles like, “Economic and Trade Exchange” and “Cross-Strait Talks,” but whose purpose is to deceive the people of Taiwan. And Ma Ying-jeou’s regime, defying the wishes of Taiwanese people, has totally tilted toward China, adopting the policy of “Diplomatic Truce,” halting diplomatic endeavors, and deserting the sovereignty of Taiwan. In addition, Ma regime has acted like a conqueror, in the name of improving economy, it has refused the due process of referendum, and arbitrarily signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China to fabricate “One China Market” and “Economic Unification,” measures that will seriously deplete Taiwan’s economic strength, causing social disorder, escalating unemployment population, widening the disparity of the rich and the poor, deteriorating the public security and legal system, and disdaining the implementation of social justice in Taiwan.
Facing the Ma regime’s contravention of the universal values of democracy and freedom, disrespecting the basic human rights and historical culture of every tribe in Taiwan, acting in coordination with China, and causing the crisis we mentioned above, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT), adhering to the belief that the Church “being rooted in this land and identified with all its inhabitants, and through love and suffering called to be a sign of hope,” reaffirms that God’s calling is to deliver human beings from sin, to grant freedom and equality to the oppressed, that we may all become new creatures in Christ, that the world will become the kingdom of God, full of justice, peace and joy. Therefore, we resolve to hasten democratic freedom in Taiwan and safeguard her sovereignty, preserve the environment and welfare of the people on this Island. Our courses of action are as follows:
We pray for the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit that the Church will pay attention to the situation we are facing, truthfully be priest and prophet, and faithfully fulfill the responsibility of the Church in the world.
1) Promoting the mission of God’s kingdom, “Identifying, Committing, and Growing.”
2) Proclaiming the sovereignty of Taiwan and cultivating our national identity.
3) Supporting candidates who commit “to do justice, to love mercy, to advocate for Taiwan and renounce unification.” This guideline applies to all candidates of the Five Special Municipality Election on November 27, 2010, the election of the members of Legislative Yuan in 2011, and the Presidential election in 2012.
4) Strengthening the relationship of the PCT with ecumenical church organizations and other partner churches, and helping Taiwan to become a member of the United Nations and other international organizations.
5) Reinforcing community/tribe grass-roots organizations and encouraging young people to participate in democracy and the movement of making Taiwan as an independent country.
6) Promoting the modification of the present Referendum Act and set a reasonable threshold, abolishing the Referendum Review Committee and supporting a referendum for new Constitution.
We appeal to the government to adopt our course of action to solve the following issues that are closely related to the future of Taiwan:
1) Respect and safeguard the culture and mother tongue of every tribe; and implement the self-government of the indigenous people in accordance with their will.
2) Establish a society of justice, safeguard the rights and welfare of the laborers, farmers, fishermen, small businesses, traditional industries, and under-privileged groups; improve employment opportunities and narrow the disparity of the rich and the poor.
3) Insist on the sovereignty and safety of Taiwan; and on the principles of equality and mutual benefits in dealing with China.
4) Build up the self-defense military and civil defense; reinforce the trade relations and regional defense cooperation with the U. S., Japan, and nearby East Asian countries.
5) Withdraw investments by political parties, military, and Chinese capital in Taiwan’s news media and strictly observe neutrality and social responsibility in the news media.
6) Honor “Ecological Justice” while pursuing economic growth, promote and instruct the concept of environmental protection.
7) Establish juridical credibility with the stance of fairness, justice and righteousness.
We firmly believe that God is in charge of history, God will protect the people of Taiwan from the threat of China. Just as the Bible says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” God will make Taiwan, in deed as well as in name, a sovereign, independent, democratic and free country.
PCT General Assembly Moderator – Lai Hsien-Chang
PCT General Secretary – Andrew Chang
Issued by Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT)
October 28, 2010
