The Declaration of 2010 Conference on Taiwan National Affairs by Presbyterian Church in Taiwan

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

Taiwan Church News
3062 Edition

November 1~7, 2010

General Assembly News

 

 

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