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Taiwan`s ruling party unveils timetable for new constitution
Taipei, Nov 24: Taiwan`s ruling party today announced a timetable for adopting a new constitution, ignoring China`s threats that the move could spark a war between the rivals.
Taipei, Nov 24: Taiwan's ruling party today announced
a timetable for adopting a new constitution, ignoring China's
threats that the move could spark a war between the rivals.
The plan calls for a special task force to draft a constitution that will be put to an island-wide referendum in December 2006, said Hsu chih-Hsiung, an official with the Democratic Progressive Party.
If approved, the constitution will be formally adopted by May 2008, Hsu told reporters.
"Taiwanese will be master of the new constitution," the DPP said in a statement. "They will hold a referendum to approve it."
China has warned Taiwan not to rewrite the document because Beijing fears that self-ruled, democratic Taiwan will use the new constitution to enshrine its independent status.
Chinese leaders insist that Taiwan belongs to China, though the communist leadership has never governed the island since coming to power in 1949. Throughout Chinese history, Taiwan, just 160 km off China's coast, has had loose ties with the mainland. The island has been populated by Chinese migrants who generally resented the mainland's rule.
Last week, Wang Zaixi, a top Chinese official who deals with the Taiwan issue, warned that "the use of force may become unavoidable'' if the Taiwanese engage in independence activities like rewriting the constitution.
The DPP did not reveal details today about how it wants to change the constitution. But the party has repeatedly said that it wants to make sweeping changes to the political system, which is inefficient and prone to gridlock.
Bureau Report
The plan calls for a special task force to draft a constitution that will be put to an island-wide referendum in December 2006, said Hsu chih-Hsiung, an official with the Democratic Progressive Party.
If approved, the constitution will be formally adopted by May 2008, Hsu told reporters.
"Taiwanese will be master of the new constitution," the DPP said in a statement. "They will hold a referendum to approve it."
China has warned Taiwan not to rewrite the document because Beijing fears that self-ruled, democratic Taiwan will use the new constitution to enshrine its independent status.
Chinese leaders insist that Taiwan belongs to China, though the communist leadership has never governed the island since coming to power in 1949. Throughout Chinese history, Taiwan, just 160 km off China's coast, has had loose ties with the mainland. The island has been populated by Chinese migrants who generally resented the mainland's rule.
Last week, Wang Zaixi, a top Chinese official who deals with the Taiwan issue, warned that "the use of force may become unavoidable'' if the Taiwanese engage in independence activities like rewriting the constitution.
The DPP did not reveal details today about how it wants to change the constitution. But the party has repeatedly said that it wants to make sweeping changes to the political system, which is inefficient and prone to gridlock.
Bureau Report