wfn.org | Presbyterian Church in Taiwan Calls for Churches

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5-August-1998 
98248 
 
    Presbyterian Church in Taiwan Calls for Churches 
    Worldwide to Support Rights of Taiwanese 
 
    by Vivian Su 
    Ecumenical News International 
 
TAIPEI, Taiwan-Taiwan's biggest Protestant church, the Presbyterian Church 
in Taiwan (PCT), has appealed for churches worldwide to support Taiwan's 
right to decide its own sovereignty as 
concern on the island grows at apparent closer relations between the 
People's Republic of China and the United States. 
 
    The PCT was one of  dozens of Taiwanese organizations that protested 
both before and after the visit to mainland China by U.S. president Bill 
Clinton in June. 
 
    A statement by President Clinton, made at a roundtable meeting in 
Shanghai and later broadcast to the Chinese public, that the U.S.  "does 
not support independence for Taiwan, `two Chinas' or `one Taiwan, one 
China,'" nor membership for Taiwan "in any organization in which 
statehood is a requirement," has caused a deep sense of unease in Taiwan. 
 
    This is the first time a U.S. president has so clearly stated U.S. 
policy on Taiwan. 
 
    Taiwan functions as a de facto independent country even though the 
People's Republic of China claims that the island is a renegade "province 
of China."  But the issue is made more controversial by the Taiwanese 
government's refusal to drop its official description of itself as  the 
"Republic of China," part of the legacy of  Chiang Kai-shek, who fled to 
Taiwan to set up an alternative government after the communist takeover of 
the mainland in 1949. 
 
    This name has contributed partly to Taiwan's status as an outsider, 
recognized only by a tiny section of the international community.  Most 
countries have diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, 
which demands that foreign governments do not recognize the government in 
Taipei, Taiwan's capital.  Taiwan is not a member of  the United Nations. 
 
    Before President Clinton arrived in China, a number of groups in Taiwan 
organized major protests to express their disapproval.  As well as 
supporting the protests, the PCT sent an urgent letter of appeal to 
churches and organizations with which it has good relations, asking for 
support and prayers. 
 
    "We deeply feel the injustice that any outsiders should presume to 
determine the destiny of this island," the letter said. "The PCT calls on 
you to pray with us that the God of Justice and Peace will continue to 
protect and guide the people of Taiwan; that any tensions and conflict 
between 
Taiwan and China may be resolved by peaceful means." 
 
    The letter was sent to more than 40  partner churches and 
organizations, about half of which have already responded positively to 
PCT's appeal. These include churches in Asia, Europe, Australia and North 
America. 
 
    The United Church of Christ in Japan, the first to respond to PCT's 
appeal, said in its letter that "no superpower should encroach on the right 
of the people to decide Taiwan's future."  The Japanese church urged 
churches worldwide to "raise their voices against the powers that would 
ignore the desires of the people of Taiwan." 
 
    The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has repeatedly 
expressed support for self-determination for Taiwan, but has stopped short 
of calling for outright independence or United Nations membership for the 
island. 
 
    The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan has more than 220,000 members.  About 
3 percent of Taiwan's population of 21.5 million is Christian. 
 
    Founded by Scottish and Canadian missionaries, the PCT follows the 
Calvinist tradition in spirit and structure. It is a member of the World 
Council of Churches and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. 

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