Taiwan Church News 3202 Edition July 8 - July 14, 2013 Ministry News Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong From June 28th to 30th, Taiwanese Canadian Association, abbreviated as TCA, celebrated her 50th Anniversary Assembly meetingat Toronto Humber College, Toronto, Canada. The main thread of this assembly is "Enhance the Taiwan-Canada Relations, Assure Taiwan's Sovereignty". After discussion and dialogues, an official assembly statement was released about the current status of Taiwan. This TCA statement urges all Taiwanese Canadians contribute their efforts to enhance the Taiwan-Canada relationship, as this is the most important way to assure Taiwan's sovereignty to be free from the secret bargain between KMT and CCP. In the meantime, this can facilitate Taiwanese happiness, strengthen her national security, and help Taiwan join the international community. Regarding Taiwan-Canada relationship, the TCA statement affirms the Christian mission initiated by Dr. Mackay 140 years agoas a very important foundation. Dr. Mackay not only preached the good news to Taiwan people, but also bring in the advanced medicine and western education to improve Taiwan's living quality. Based on this extraordinary mission achievement and relationship, Taiwanese immigrants into Canada has increased in recent 50 years and made a great contribution to Canada inacademics, business and other fields. So, TCA remarked in statement, "Taiwan is our mother land, Canada is our new country", and hopes the relationship between Taiwan and Canada will go closer to benefit each other further. As to Taiwan's sovereignty, TCA warned if Taiwan government keeps using "ROC" as her country title, it will fall into the"One China" framework and force Taiwan to merge into China as a province ultimately. This will not do Taiwan any good. So, TCA seriously urges Ma Ying-jeou KMT government: any negotiation between KMT and CCP must be open to the public, and no private poltical bargain is allowed to endanger Taiwanese interests. TCA also reminds Taiwan that the international law of self-determination is still valid, after the signature of "Treaty ofPeace with Japan" at San Francisco in 1951. When Japan renounced her sovereignty claims to Taiwan and Peng-hu, naturally Taiwan's sovereignty belongs to all Taiwanese peoples as this is Taiwan's hope to build the nation on her own soils. Yip Koh-gi, Chairman of World Federation of Taiwanese Associations and member of Toronto Taiwanese United Church, stronglycriticized a common mistake committed inside Taiwan Church, be it on Taiwan island or oversea: they all dare not touch the issue of Taiwan independence. Especially, the urban Taipei-area churches or the indigenous church within PCT, who had confessed to build a "new and independent country" inside their "Manifesto of Independent Taiwan Sovereignty", would ratherchoose to avoid talking this issue either. Although Chairman Yip thought this is a demography structure problem within believers, he encouraged PCT pastors sticking to the mission of Taiwan independence and acting "as wise as serpent" to convince believers about the seriousness of Taiwan independence because " this is not a shameful thing to talk about"! Translated by Peter Wolfe |