Taipei Declaration of the Chinese Democratic Movement
We mainland Chinese democrats from overseas participated in the “Nine-in-One Election Observation Group” in Taiwan from November 20 to 27, 2022. We experienced first-hand the freedom and democracy of Taiwan’s society and the prosperity and happiness of the people. We had many feelings. We gathered together and jointly issued the following declaration:
The “nine-in-one election” in November 2022 is an important part of Taiwan’s democratic politics. The 23 million Taiwanese people will use their votes to elect their favorite leaders and representatives. However, this election faced the threat of force from the Chinese Communist Party. In his opening speech at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on October 16, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, mentioned that China will strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and efforts, but “will never promise to give up the use of force and reserves the option of taking all necessary measures.” On November 8, when Xi Jinping, wearing a camouflage uniform and serving as the “Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Military Commission” inspected the Joint Operations Command Center of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, he said: “All energy is focused on fighting, and all work is focused on fighting.” At the same time, Chinese Communist fighter jets increased the frequency of overflights over Taiwan, repeatedly crossing the central line to make military threats.
Since Taiwan implemented its first direct presidential election in 1996, it has gone through three political party changes. The Republic of China has become a mature democracy where people enjoy a democratic and free lifestyle, and Taiwan has become a beacon of democracy in Asia. The success of Taiwan’s democracy fully tells us the fact that Chinese culture, like the cultures of other nations around the world, can be integrated with modern democratic political systems. Taiwan is already among the world’s advanced countries and has the ability and wisdom to build a democratic constitutional government. The Chinese people on the other side of the Taiwan Strait, who speak the same language and race, can also build a society of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Universal values have no borders.
Countries around the world, regardless of size, should have their own common belief standard, which is that “the well-being of the people is above all else.” Humanity’s pursuit of freedom and a happy life is an inalienable natural human right, and only world peace is the basic guarantee of natural human rights. Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping once said: “The people’s yearning for a better life is our goal.” We hope that he can match his words with his deeds, abandon the militaristic policy, turn confrontation into dialogue, treat Taiwan on an equal footing, conduct dialogue on the basis of mutual respect for territorial sovereignty, coexist peacefully, exchange what is needed, and build a happy homeland for the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
We firmly advocate: “The mainland wants democracy, and the Taiwan Strait wants peace.” The two world wars brought huge disasters to all mankind, and the lessons are not far away. The Russo-Ukrainian War took the lead in breaking the peace in Russia and brought heavy casualties to both countries. Not only did Russia’s war goals fail to be punished, the Russian army even retreated steadily, and Russia’s national strength was greatly reduced. The greatest historical lesson that the world has learned is: Those who take the lead in destroying peace will surely suffer the consequences!
We hereby strongly express and appeal:
1. The cross-strait reunification advocated by the Chinese Communist Party is to unify free and democratic societies under authoritarian dictatorship. Harsh government is fiercer than tigers. If communism is really a good system, why are mainland people leaving the Western world in droves? Why do people from Tibet, Xinjiang, Mongolia, and Hong Kong leave their hometowns and live in exile around the world? Do Taiwanese people change their minds after hearing about the Communist Party? Vietnamese people flee to the angry sea? Are Cubans smuggling across the river? Will the Germans tear down the Berlin Wall? Are Russians abandoning communism? Are North Koreans risking their lives to defect? Is it hard to get rid of the hatred of Eastern Europeans? People share the same sentiments and principles. The lies that have remained unchanged in Hong Kong for fifty years have shattered the myth of the CCP’s wishful thinking. We firmly oppose this kind of “one country, two systems”!
2. The prerequisite for cross-Strait political negotiations must be to respect the wishes of the 23 million Taiwanese people. The Taiwanese people have the right to determine their own future and destiny; China must implement democratization, open up freedom of speech and ban newspapers and party bans, so that both sides of the Taiwan Strait will have the same free and democratic social system. We firmly oppose anything that violates these principles!
3. Taiwan has the right to participate in the United Nations and all international organizations, and like the “Two Germanys” and “Two Koreas”, it can establish equal and reciprocal diplomatic relations with all countries in the world. We are firmly opposed to any approach that obstructs Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and deprives 23 million people of their rights!
4. The Chinese Communist Party must give up its national policy of “military reunification”, completely dismantle missiles and armed facilities aimed at Taiwan, stop all military exercises and war provocations in the Taiwan Strait, open up cross-strait economic and trade and free exchanges of people, and sincerely show its goodwill to the people of Taiwan. As time goes by, people’s hearts are revealed. Whether the two sides are neighbors or brothers, the happiness of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait is the goal that leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Strait jointly pursue. We are firmly opposed to anyone who violates this goal, attempts to provoke war, or pursues risky acts of suicide and murder!
We are about to bid farewell to Taiwan. Through this viewing, we will promote the achievements of Taiwan’s democracy to the world, share the experience of democratic politics in Taiwan and the Tibetan exile community, promote democratization in mainland China, and make mainland China, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Mongolia, which have long been ravaged by the CCP’s authoritarian regime, It is our unshirkable historical mission to ensure that people in Cuba, Hong Kong and other vast areas can obtain basic human rights protection and true freedom. It is also the fundamental guarantee for permanently eliminating the threat to the security of the Taiwan Strait and the threat to world peace and tranquility caused by the authoritarian regime of the Chinese Communist Party. It is our consensus to persevere and work together to achieve this.
Finally, we reiterate once again: the mainland wants democracy and the Taiwan Strait wants peace.
“Taiwan Nine-in-One General Election” Observation Team
November 27, 2022 in Taipei