[Opinion] Double Tenth Day Of Taiwan

The commemoration event of the Double Tenth Day, or the country’s foundation day, was crippled this year. Both the opposition Democratic Progressive Party and Kuomintang (KMT) refused to participate in events organized by the government and held celebration parties separately in Taichung and Kaoshiung, accusing Taiwan President Chen Shui- bian of denying the legitimacy of mainland China and pursuing independence. One of the opposition parties led by the former President Lee Teng-hui held a flag-raising ceremony at a stadium in Taipei, raising a flag that they had made themselves, instead of the official Chinese flag.

The Double Tenth Day is the day when a clandestine organization led by Sun Yat-sen started the Wuchang Uprising on October 10, 1911 against the rule of the Qing Dynasty. The Wuchang Uprising, sparked in the city of Wuchang in Hubei Province, led to the Xinhai Revolution, which resulted in the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the foundation of the Republic of China, the first democratic republic in Asia. Later, Chiang Kai-shek, former president of Taiwan, designated the date of the uprising as a national holiday.

President Chen said at the ceremonial speech, “Not only is Taiwan home to the indigenous people and the Hakkas, but also it is the new homeland of the foreign-born Taiwanese,” and added, “Taiwan is a nation founded by many races, therefore the Republic of China is Taiwan and Taiwan is the Republic of China.” His speech was concerning the conflict between the native-born and the foreign-born that came up after the presidential election on March, but was an indirect revelation of what he was thinking—that, “the Republic of China is included in Taiwan.” Before this, the Taiwanese representatives to the United States and France sent invitations titled “Republic of China (Taiwan) National Day” to foreign dignitaries. This was the first time the tile “Taiwan” was included in a National Day invitation.

Former President Lee Teng-hui said, “Establishing a constitution is the only way to save Taiwan” and added the meaningful words, “If we amend the constitution, National Day will no longer be on October 10 but on another day.” Associates said the new National Day is most likely to be February 28, 1947, the day Taiwanese natives resisted the Kuomintang regime. The Democratic Progressive Party once revealed that the establishment of the constitution will be completed by 2008. There might come a day when the title “Republic of China” will disappear into history along with the current National Day.

Hwang Yoo-seong, China Correspondent, yshwang@donga.com