Taipei, Jan. 25 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Tuesday that the increasing sense of Taiwanese identity in the country should not be equated to a rise in pro-independence sentiment.
Chen made the remarks while meeting with a visiting delegation from the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, a private U.S. think tank. The delegation is headed by former U.S. Defense Secretary William J. Perry.
With the progress in Taiwan's democratic development, Chen said, there is developing among the people of Taiwan a growing sense of Taiwanese identity distinct from that of mainland China.
This tendency should not be interpreted as a growing pro-independence sentiment, Chen said, adding that the international community should not "hand over free Taiwan to not-free China simply because of worries about the rise of Taiwanese identity."
He stressed that his administration's constitutional re-engineering program has nothing to do with the "unification vs. independence" debate regarding Taiwan's future. "We'll faithfully follow our constitutional procedures in constitutional amendments and won't go beyond constitutional provisions," Chen said, adding that holding a referendum to endorse future constitutional amendment proposals is a consensus reached by opposition and ruling parties last year.
He also told his guests that he has appointed Frank Hsieh, mayor of Taiwan's second-largest city of Kaohsiung, to serve as the new premier from Feb. 1.
Noting that Hsieh, a skillful negotiator, is known for his political philosophy of "co-existence and cooperation," Chen said he believes that this thinking can be applied to address not only Taiwan's inter-party relations but also Taiwan-U.S. relations and Taiwan-mainland ties.
Citing his New Year's Day message, Chen said he is determined to "open a new era of negotiation and dialogue" with both Taiwan's opposition camp and the mainland.
Acknowledging that being free of preconceived ideals, partisan calculation and ideological divides is the cardinal principle for promoting inter-party reconciliation and cooperation, Chen said his administration will stick to this principle to boost national unity. "We'll search all possibilities for reconciliation with the opposition alliance. We must give up partisan interests and ideological divides, " Chen said, adding that "only with a united Taiwan... shall we achieve cross-Taiwan Strait peace."
He further said the recent landmark cross-strait deal on the launch of direct, non-stop charter flights during the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday to accommodate homebound Taiwan businessmen from the mainland is a good example of these principles. "The charter flight deal can serve as a good start for a thaw in the long-deadlocked cross-strait ties, " Chen said, adding that his administration will continue pushing for normalization of cross-strait relations.
Touching on worries expressed by some American scholars that the long absence of cross-strait dialogue could escalate tension, Chen said Taiwan is pragmatic and flexible in dealing with cross-strait affairs. "Although the United States is Taiwan's best ally, Taiwan will never be so naive as to rely on the U.S. for its security. We fully understand our conditions and constraints. We are fully aware that our survival hinges on self-reliance and a pragmatic approach in pursuing national development, " Chen added.