New Coalition Pushes for Taiwan Independence Referendum

Taiwan’s newest political movement, the Island of Joy and Happiness Coalition (喜樂島聯盟), launched with great fanfare on Wednesday, announcing its goal of holding a nation-wide referendum on independence. The kickoff event featured numerous luminaries from the Taiwanese independence camp, including former President Lee Teng-hui, former Vice President Annette Lu, and the Reverend Dr. Chun-Ming Kao.

The campaign, which is bankrolled by Kuo Pei-hung (郭倍宏), chairman of Formosa TV, has set its sights on holding an official referendum to affirm the nation’s formal independence, as well as using the name “Taiwan” to seek admission to the United Nations.

The event coincided with Taiwan’s annual remembrance of the 2-28 Massacre of 1947, when Nationalist troops from China used mass killings and extreme violence against civilians to quell protests against government corruption. 

Guests to the Island of Joy and Happiness Coalition campaign were invited to sign the declaration, which included three key ideas, translated as:

1) In a time of great peril, facing a national security threat from China, rallying the grassroots to defend Taiwan and maintain the island’s peace and tranquility;

2) Forming an alliance based on the principles of using Taiwan’s true name and entering the United Nations on this basis;

3) To better reflect popular opinion and seek the conditions under which a public referendum can be held, and thus democratically decide the future of one’s own country.

The event was festive, with constant excitement and frequent posing for selfies. The crowd skewed middle-aged and elderly in the standing-room-only auditorium, though a number of younger Taiwanese were present among the volunteers and organizers.

Lee, the former president, was a veritable rock star, greeted with roars and a standing ovation. Speaking in Taiwanese, he called for drawing up a proper constitution for Taiwan, using the name “Taiwan” (正名制憲). Annette Lu declared that this occasion was “a new beginning” for Taiwan.

Former President Chen Shui-bian, who has been released from prison on medical parole since 2015, also appeared in a video message to encourage the alliance. Noted democratic activist Peng Ming-min was originally slated to attend in person, but due to health reasons, also sent his best wishes and support via video. 

In addition to the old guard politicians, the event also gave a platform to newer opposition parties that are fiercely pro-Taiwan. New Power Party (NPP) head Huang Kuo-chang and leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Fan Yun gave speeches, though they were the only two panelists to speak primarily in Mandarin.

Both the NPP and the SDP, as well as the Taiwan Radical Wings party (TRW) have fielded candidates in this year’s local elections, many in the same districts, in addition to ruling DPP candidates in the mix.

Huang discussed an exchange he had with American diplomats, where he passionately made the case for Taiwan’s aspirations for self-determination. “We are a peace-loving people…what right have they to tell us not to express ourselves democratically?”When one diplomat asked how representative his view was among Taiwanese, Huang replied that it was commonplace. But now, he said to the crowd, the alliance’s campaign could prove this to the world.

SDP head Fan decried China’s missiles and the constant threat of invasion. “They have never lowered their weapons,” she said. “But a peaceful referendum is our best weapon to counter this.”

“Many countries have used a public referendum to build the nation-state, or to make clear to the international community the people’s aspirations.”

She complained that past Taiwanese legislation had made it difficult to legally organize a referendum, suggesting this was tantamount to disarming Taiwan’s most potent weapon: a peaceful gesture to democratically express the will of “23 million people to decide our own future.”

While officially called a press conference, the event amounted to a jamboree for independence supporters and activists. Many call and response moments peppered the speeches, with cheers resounding throughout the auditorium.

Given revisions to the Referendum Law at the end of 2017 that lowered the threshold for initiating and passing referendums, and shifts in demographics, the alliance may gain traction domestically, especially as larger numbers of young voters lean toward independence. The effort could also impact local elections in 2018 by stoking anti-colonial passions and highlighting the rhetoric of independence.

(All images by Kevin Hsu)