ROC referendum, 2004
Encyclopedia
A nation-wide consultative referendum (全國性公民投票) was held in the Republic of China
(Taiwan
) on March 20, 2004 to coincide with the 2004 presidential election
. Voters were asked two questions regarding relations with the People's Republic of China. The initiation of this referendum by President Chen Shui-bian
came under intense criticism from the PRC because it was seen as an exercise for an eventual vote on Taiwan independence
. The Pan-Blue Coalition
urged a boycott, citing that the referendum was illegal and unnecessary. Voters agreed by wide margins two questions put by the government, but the less than 50% turnout invalidated the result.
A minimum of 50% voter turnout was required to validate the results. This was not achieved, and the results, overwhelming in favor of both measures, were invalidated.
. The final bill that was passed by the Legislative Yuan
on November 27, 2003 did not contain restrictions on the content of any referendums, but did include very high hurdles for referendums on constitutional issues. These hurdles were largely put in place by the Pan-Blue Coalition
majority in the legislature. The bill also contained a provision for a defensive referendum to be called if the sovereignty of the ROC was under threat. In response to the referendum passage, Beijing issued vague statements of unease.
announced that given that the PRC had missile
s aimed at Taiwan, he had the power under the defensive referendum clause to order a referendum on sovereignty
, although he did not do so under pressure by USA. This statement was very strongly criticized both by Beijing and by the Pan-Blue Coalition. But instead, he proposed a referendum to ask the PRC to remove the hundreds of missiles it has aimed at Taiwan.
In a televised address made on January 16, 2004, President Chen reiterated his "Four Noes and One Without
" pledge, justified the "peace referendum," and announced its questions.
One interesting characteristic of the debates is that the con positions were not argued by any active political figures in the Pan-Blue Coalition
, and the CEC at first found it difficult to find people to take the con position. The Pan-Blue Coalition
has made it clear that it favored the topics to be decided in the referendum, but believed that the referendum process itself was illegal and a prelude to more controversial topics. As a consequence, Pan-Blue asked its supporters not to vote at all in the referendum, with the intention of having the number of valid votes fall below the 50% voter threshold necessary to have a valid referendum.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
) on March 20, 2004 to coincide with the 2004 presidential election
ROC presidential election, 2004
The Election for the 11th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China , the third direct presidential election in Taiwan's history and the 11th presidential election overall under the 1947 Chinese Constitution, was held on March 20, 2004...
. Voters were asked two questions regarding relations with the People's Republic of China. The initiation of this referendum by President Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
came under intense criticism from the PRC because it was seen as an exercise for an eventual vote on Taiwan independence
Taiwan independence
Taiwan independence is a political movement whose goals are primarily to formally establish the Republic of Taiwan by renaming or replacing the Republic of China , form a Taiwanese national identity, reject unification and One country, two systems with the People's Republic of China and a Chinese...
. The Pan-Blue Coalition
Pan-Blue Coalition
The Pan-Blue Coalition 泛藍聯盟 or Pan-Blue Force is a political alliance in the Republic of China , consisting of the Kuomintang , the People First Party , and the New Party . The name comes from the party colours of the Kuomintang...
urged a boycott, citing that the referendum was illegal and unnecessary. Voters agreed by wide margins two questions put by the government, but the less than 50% turnout invalidated the result.
Question 1
| Type of vote | Valid votes | % of valid votes |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 6,511,216 | 91.80% |
| No | 581,413 | 8.20% |
| Turnout | ||
| Registered Voters | 16,507,179 | |
| Votes Cast | 7,452,340 | 45.15% of registered voters |
| Valid Votes | 7,092,629 | 95.17% of votes cast |
| Invalid Votes | 359,711 | 4.83% of votes cast |
Question 2
| Type of vote | Valid votes | % of valid votes |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 6,319,663 | 92.05% |
| No | 545,911 | 7.95% |
| Turnout | ||
| Registered Voters | 16,507,179 | |
| Votes Cast | 7,444,148 | 45.10% of registered voters |
| Valid Votes | 6,865,574 | 92.23% of votes cast |
| Invalid Votes | 578,574 | 7.77% of votes cast |
A minimum of 50% voter turnout was required to validate the results. This was not achieved, and the results, overwhelming in favor of both measures, were invalidated.
Legislative process for a law on referendum
The vetting of the referendum bill appeared to alarm Beijing which issued more sharp threats of a strong reaction if a referendum bill passed which would allow a vote on sovereignty issues such as the territory and flag of the ROCFlag of the Republic of China
The Flag of the Republic of China is red with a navy blue canton bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays. In Chinese, the flag is commonly described as Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth to reflect its attributes....
. The final bill that was passed by the Legislative Yuan
Legislative Yuan
The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
on November 27, 2003 did not contain restrictions on the content of any referendums, but did include very high hurdles for referendums on constitutional issues. These hurdles were largely put in place by the Pan-Blue Coalition
Pan-Blue Coalition
The Pan-Blue Coalition 泛藍聯盟 or Pan-Blue Force is a political alliance in the Republic of China , consisting of the Kuomintang , the People First Party , and the New Party . The name comes from the party colours of the Kuomintang...
majority in the legislature. The bill also contained a provision for a defensive referendum to be called if the sovereignty of the ROC was under threat. In response to the referendum passage, Beijing issued vague statements of unease.
Proposal for a referendum and reactions
On November 29, 2004, President Chen Shui-bianChen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
announced that given that the PRC had missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s aimed at Taiwan, he had the power under the defensive referendum clause to order a referendum on sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
, although he did not do so under pressure by USA. This statement was very strongly criticized both by Beijing and by the Pan-Blue Coalition. But instead, he proposed a referendum to ask the PRC to remove the hundreds of missiles it has aimed at Taiwan.
In a televised address made on January 16, 2004, President Chen reiterated his "Four Noes and One Without
Four Noes and One Without
The Four Noes and One Without , also known as the Four Noes was a pledge by former President of the Republic of China Chen Shui-bian made in his inauguration speech on 20 May 2000 concerning the political status of Taiwan...
" pledge, justified the "peace referendum," and announced its questions.
Official debates
A series of 10 debates were held over 5 days (Wednesdays and Sundays) on the referendum (first pair on first question; second on second; pro-government listed before con-) http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/02/26/2003100166- February 29 - Cabinet spokesman Lin Chia-lungLin Chia-lungLin Chia-lung is a Taiwanese academic and political figure, perhaps best known for serving under various capacities in the ROC Executive Yuan under President Chen Shui-bian, and his unsuccessful run for Mayor of Taichung City on the Democratic Progressive Party ticket in May 2005.-Background:Lin...
v. independent Legislator May ChinMay ChinStage named May Chin, Kao Chin Su-mei , born on September 21, 1965 in Heping Township, Taichung County , Taiwan as Chin Su-mei, to a Han Chinese father and a Taiwanese Aborigine mother, is a Taiwanese singer, actress and politician...
(Kao Chin Su-mei); Kaohsiung Mayor Frank HsiehFrank HsiehFrank Hsieh Chang-ting is a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party in the Republic of China. He was the mayor of Kaohsiung City until his appointment as President of the Executive Yuan by president Chen Shui-bian on February 1, 2005. He announced his resignation from the post of...
v. Commentator Li AoLi AoLi Ao , is a writer, social commentator, historian, and independent politician in the Republic of China .He is considered by many to be one of the most important modern Chinese essayists today, although critics have termed him an intellectual narcissist... - March 3 - Office of the President's Deputy Secretary-General Joseph WuJoseph WuJoseph Wu Chao-hsieh was formerly the chief representative of the Republic of China to the United States as the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, D.C....
v. poet Chan Chao-li, Minister without Portfolio Yeh Jiunn-rong v. former DPP Chairman Hsu Hsin-liangHsu Hsin-liangHsu Hsin-liang is a Taiwanese politician, formerly Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party . He was a supporter of the Pan-Blue Coalition from 2000 to 2008 but then supported the DPP in the 2008 presidential election.-Biography:... - March 7 - TSU Legislator Lo Chih-ming v. former Control Yuan member Yeh Yao-peng; DPP Legislator Chiu Tai-san v. sociologist Timothy TingTimothy TingDr. Timothy Ting is a political commentator, pollster, and radio and television show host in University of Santo Tomas. Ting has hosted such programs as on and Good Morning Taiwan on News 98 Radio....
- March 10 - DPP Legislator You ChingYou ChingYou Ching is the Republic of China representative to Germany. A practicing lawyer since 1978, he obtained his bachelor's degree in law from the National Chengchi University in 1965 and his doctorate from the University of Heidelberg in 1978...
v. Green Party TaiwanGreen Party TaiwanThe Green Party Taiwan is a political party in Taiwan established on 25 January 1996. The party is not a member of, and should not be confused with, the Pan-Green Coalition. As its name suggests, the Green Party Taiwan focuses on environmental issues...
acting convener Kao Cheng-yanKao Cheng-yanKao Cheng-yan is an activist in the Green Party Taiwan. He was a Taiwan independence activist during his student years in the United States of America...
; DPP Legislator Cho Jung-tai v. mainland exile Ruan Ming - March 14 - DPP Legislator Julian Kuo v. anti-March 20 referendum alliance leader Jaw Shaw-kong; Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wenTsai Ing-wenTsai Ing-wen is the current chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan. Studying in Taiwan, the U.S and the U.K. Tsai earned an LL.B. from National Taiwan University, an LL.M. from Cornell University Law School and a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics....
v. independent Legislator Sisy ChenSisy ChenSisy Wen-hsien Chen is a Taiwanese politician and television commentator. She hosts Sisy's World News, a daily talk show at the KMT-owned China Television Corporation and UFO Dinner a daily radio talk show at the UFO Radio Station. She was an independent member of the Legislative Yuan from...
One interesting characteristic of the debates is that the con positions were not argued by any active political figures in the Pan-Blue Coalition
Pan-Blue Coalition
The Pan-Blue Coalition 泛藍聯盟 or Pan-Blue Force is a political alliance in the Republic of China , consisting of the Kuomintang , the People First Party , and the New Party . The name comes from the party colours of the Kuomintang...
, and the CEC at first found it difficult to find people to take the con position. The Pan-Blue Coalition
Pan-Blue Coalition
The Pan-Blue Coalition 泛藍聯盟 or Pan-Blue Force is a political alliance in the Republic of China , consisting of the Kuomintang , the People First Party , and the New Party . The name comes from the party colours of the Kuomintang...
has made it clear that it favored the topics to be decided in the referendum, but believed that the referendum process itself was illegal and a prelude to more controversial topics. As a consequence, Pan-Blue asked its supporters not to vote at all in the referendum, with the intention of having the number of valid votes fall below the 50% voter threshold necessary to have a valid referendum.