2011-06-09 (China Military News cited from http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1620590">taiwannews.com.tw) -- Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou announced in an interview June 8 that if it is true that the phrase “No distinction between the KMT Army and the Communist Army, it is all one Chinese Army” was used in an awards ceremony in Beijing, he condemns it in the strongest language.
Media on both sides of the strait have reported that in a function several days ago Brigadier General Luo Yuan-ri of the People’s Liberation Army quoted a high-ranking retired officer from Taiwan as saying, “From now on there is no distinction between the KMT Army and the Communist Army, it is all one Chinese Army”, a remark that triggered an uproar when it was filtered back to Taiwan.
The “Zhongshan Huangpu (Whampoa) Cross-Strait Relations” seminar held by the Beijing Huangpu Academy Students Association and the China Strategic Culture Development Association was held the afternoon of June 6 by the Beijing National People’s Political Consultative Conference. The event was attended by more than 300 persons including Zhou Tie-nong, Vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress; Chen Yun-lin, Chairman of the Straits Exchange Committee; and Lin Jun, Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Committee of China.
Reports from the event noted that it was held to mark the 100th anniversary of the Xinghai Revolt and attended by graduates of the Huangpu Academy from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The 300 attendees paid tribute to Sun Yat-sen and to the martyrs who gave their lives in the Xinghai Revolt.
President Ma was interviewed while at the Cheng Kung University Hospital in Taiwan, making the remark quoted above.
Brigadier General Luo Yuan-ri of the People’s Liberation Army announced that a high-ranking retired officer from Taiwan had said, “There are not the KMT Army and the Communist Army on either side of the strait, it is all one Chinese Army”. In response, Premier Wu Den-yi of Taiwan noted June 8 that he absolutely could not accept such a statement from a certain retired military officer from Taiwan and that such a comment was not in line with official national policy.
Wu continued, “Statements like this are in contradiction to our basic national strategy. There are two main parts to our cross-strait position. First of all, under the constitution there is no unity and no independence, no military issue; the 1992 communique must be upheld, and there is one China and two interpretation. Second, any developments that take place in cross-strait relations must first emphasize the integrity of Taiwan and the rights of the people of Taiwan, otherwise we cannot accept them. Thus statements like this one coming from a retired military officer are not in consonance with our national strategy.
In a press conference held by the KMT caucus in the Legislative Yuan, Department of Defense spokesman Wang Ming-wo noted that controversial statements made in China by retired military officers from Taiwan may be taken out of context or exaggerated in the media. Even if that is the case, however, such retired military personnel should always put the safety and security of Taiwan uppermost in making any comments while in China.
