The Taiwan Independence Movement's Total Contempt for the Rule of Law

The Taiwan Independence Movement's Total Contempt for the Rule of Law
Bevin Chu
June 04, 2006


Pro independence Pan Green legislators, knowing two opposition amendments will pass, prevent a vote by means of physical violence

On May 31, 2006, pro independence legislators in the Republic of China legislature prevented the passage of two amendments that would have permitted direct airline flights and maritime shipping between the mainland region of China and the Taiwan region of China.

Pro independence legislators prevented the passage of the two amendments not by means of a democratic majority in the Republic of China legislature.

Pro independence legislators have never constituted a majority within the ROC legislature.

Pro independence legislators prevented the passage of the two amendments not by resorting to devious but legal stalling tactics.

They already exhausted that option with a failed filibuster.

Pro independence legislators prevented the passage of the two amendments by means of physical violence.

What do I mean by physical violence?

I mean that a pro independence legislator prevented the Republic of China legislature from holding a vote on the two amendments by snatching a cloture petition from a Pan Blue legislator, stuffing it into her own mouth, chewing it up, then spitting it out and tearing it to pieces.


DPP legislator Wang Shu-hui snatches the opposition's cloture petition and stuffs it into her mouth

Female Democratic Progressive Party legislator Wang Shu-hui snatched the cloture petition from the hands of female People First Party legislator Ko Shu-min while Ko was was on the way to the podium to present the petition to Speaker of the Legislature Wang Jing-Pyng.

A dozen or so DPP legislators then surrounded Ko, preventing her from reaching Wang and retrieving the petition.

Wang stuffed the document in mouth to prevent Ko and other PFP legislators who rushed to Ko's aid from retrieving it.

Wang chewed on the petition, mutilating it. She later spat it out and tore it into tiny pieces.


DPP legislator Wang Shu-hiu destroys the opposition's petition by chewing on it

Cloture, for the record, is a parliamentary procedure by which debate is ended and an immediate vote is taken on the matter under discussion. It is also called closure.

The cloture motion would have ended the DPP's fillibuster and enabled a vote on two amendments to the Statute Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.

Article 28 of the Statute Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area forbids airplanes and ships from traveling directly to the mainland unless specifically authorized by the government. Mainland airplanes and ships are barred from Taiwan's territorial waters and air space, unless explicitly allowed by Taipei authorities.

The two amendments would have lifted the ban and required the government to allow direct flights and shipping within three to six months. The government would have had to draft a set of regulations enabling direct that period of time.

DPP Legislative Caucus Whip Ker Chien-ming said the DPP would never agree to vote on the two amendments. DPP legislator at large and former premier Chang Chun-hsiung insisted that "Taiwan's sovereignty [sic] is at stake."

The Republic of China Legislature was then forced by procedural rules to go into summer recess.

Will somebody please provide the "Democratic Progressive Party" and the Taiwan Solidarity Union with copies of The Common Law of Parliamentary Procedure and Robert's Rules of Order?


Robert's Rules of Order, circa 1876

Not one Taiwan independence legislator, not one Taiwan independence elder, not one Taiwan independence academic, not one Taiwan independence pundit has spoken out against this outrage against the rule of law.

From this day forward, I never want to hear another "champion of democracy," especially western expatriate Taiwan independence fellow travelers on Taiwan, lecture the Chinese people about "democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law."

clo·ture
Pronunciation (klchr)

n. A parliamentary procedure by which debate is ended and an immediate vote is taken on the matter under discussion. Also called closure.

tr.v. clo·tured, clo·tur·ing, clo·tures

To apply cloture to (a parliamentary debate).

[French clo^ture, from Old French closture, probably alteration of closure, closure; see closure.]

This article draws on information provided by the English language China Post.