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Presbyterian Church in Taiwan Calls for Churches
From
PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>
Date
05 Aug 1998 21:26:02
Reply-To: wfn-news list <wfn-news@wfn.org>
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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