Taipei: Former Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin, who is currently running for Kuomintang (KMT) chairman, on Tuesday proposed striking a deal with China of "no force as long as Taiwan does not declare independence." At a press conference announcing his cross-strait policies, Hau said he would officially call on China to renounce the use of force against Taiwan in exchange for a promise not to seek independence.
According to Focus Taiwan, Hau stated that efforts from both sides are crucial for goodwill across the strait. He identified China's continuous air and naval incursions, along with repeated military drills surrounding Taiwan, as the biggest obstacles to maintaining peaceful and stable relationships between the two sides of the strait.
Hau also proposed several policies, including holding a grand debate within the party on its cross-strait policy, pushing to establish party offices in Beijing and Shanghai, and expanding the positive experiences of the Taipei-Shanghai City Forum by establishing a "Cross-Strait Forum."
Additionally, he expressed his intent to realign the party's cross-strait policies to align more closely with the spirit of the Republic of China's (ROC, Taiwan) Constitution. This perspective interprets the cross-strait relationship as the relationship between ROC in Taiwan and ROC in the mainland region, rather than two separate nations.
Hau criticized President Lai Ching-te for his perceived violation and erroneous presentation of cross-strait relations and the relationship between Taiwan and the ROC. He emphasized that the Constitution serves as Taiwan's best protection and the best legal connection between the two sides of the strait.
He argued that Beijing must acknowledge the reality of the ROC's continuation and current existence, warning that failing to do so would diminish the "most natural and reasonable" legal link between the two sides of the strait. Hau stated that the people of Taiwan can only feel protected if the ROC is acknowledged and respected, allowing them to rationally discuss and plan for development goals beneficial to people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.