FAPA: “Taiwanese Americans Want To Be Counted!”

In a letter to the National Advisory Committee of the Census Bureau dated June 21^st, 2016, FAPA President Peter Chen, formally requested the Census Bureau that a check off box for “Taiwanese” be added under the race question (question six) on the Census 2020 form.

FAPA started this campaign for a separate check off box under the race question before the 2000 Census. Then FAPA President Wen-yen Chen appeared as a witness to a congressional hearing before the Subcommittee on the Census in 1998. However, FAPA was informed by the Census Bureau that a 1997 State Department memorandum stipulated that the “listing of “Taiwanese” as a race in a Census questionnaire would inevitably raise sensitive political questions…contrary to the U.S. Government policy and U.S. national interest.”

In his letter, FAPA President Peter Chen wrote: “We believe however that the demographic count from the Census Bureau is a purely domestic American affair, and should not fall victim to international politics.”

This is especially true as the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service already maintains a separate quota for Taiwanese coming to the United States, there should be no reason for the Census Bureau to continue this policy based on international political concerns.

In his letter, Peter Chen added: “According to the Washington-based East-West Center, the Taiwanese American population in the 2000 Census was 144,795, while in the 2010 Census it was 230,382.¹ However, according to 2014 Homeland Security data on Lawful Permanent Residents, the Taiwanese American population accumulated between 1950 and 2014 to 472,222.² Therefore, we believe that a better total estimate of Taiwanese Americans today would be around 500,000. Clearly, there are severe discrepancies between Federal Agencies when counting the Taiwanese American population.  The Census Bureau can no longer ignore this.”

Peter Chen reacts: “The current policy of the Census Bureau to exclude a Taiwanese check off box is solely a U.S. self-imposed restriction. We want accurate data on how many Taiwanese Americans there are today. Nobody knows! This is unconscionable. We want to be counted!”

FAPA要求將「台灣人」列入正式選項

FAPA會長陳正義在6月21日致函給人口調查局的全國建議委員會，正式要求在2020的人口普查調查表中，第六題族群問題應加入「台灣人」的選項。

FAPA開始推廣在人口調查表族群問題下加入「台灣人」的選項要回溯到2000年的人口普查，當時的FAPA會長陳文彥在1998年曾受國會眾議院的人口委員會的聽證會邀請，以證人身份出席。但是FAPA後來被人口調查局告知，國務院已在在1997年的便籤中裁示，「在人口調查表上列出台灣人的選項，最終將引起敏感的政治問題…這與美國政府的政策及美國國家利益則是背道而馳的。」

FAPA會長陳正義在信中寫到:「我們相信人口調查局的人口數據是一個純美國內政事務，而不應該向國際政治屈服。」

以現階段美國移民局已經為移民至美國的台灣人特別設置配額的話，則不可否定以上論述的真實性。人口調查局也不應該有任何以國際政治考療的原因下來繼續這項政策。

在這封信中又說道：「根據位在華府的East-West Center，在2000年和2010年的人口普查中台美人口分為144,795及230,328。但是根據國安局在合法永久居留者的數據裡，從1950年至2014年的台美人已高達472,222。所以我們相信若要估計現今台美人的人口數的話應該是約在五十萬左右。很明顯的，台美人的人口數據在聯邦政府的單位裡已經有很大的差別了。人口調查局則不能再繼續的忽略此事。」

陳正義會長還說：「人口調查局目前在普查表上排除台灣人選項的政策，是一個自我設限的規定。我們需要有一個正確算出最正確台美人的數據。沒有任何人知道最新數據，這完全不合理。台美人要求被列入選項和尊重! 」

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FAPA Expresses Dismay At Upcoming Ma Ying-jeou –Xi Jinping Meeting In Singapore

The Formosan Association for Public Affairs – a Taiwanese-American grassroots organization based in Washington DC – wants to express it deep concern about the sudden announcement that Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in Singapore on Saturday, November 7^th 2015.

The fact that the plans for the meeting were kept under wraps until the last minute is symptomatic for the undemocratic “black box” approach the Ma government has been following during the past years.  This lack in transparency in governance was already evident when the Ma government tried to push through the ill-fated Service Trade Agreement in March 2014, and the changes in history textbooks earlier in 2015.  In both cases, the matters led to large-scale protests.

The short notice for this meeting also flies in the face of the “No surprises” approach President Ma promised  – in particular vis-à-vis the United States – when conducting policy on cross-Strait issues.  However, his announcement that on November 7^th he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore is one very big surprise.

What are the main drivers prompting this move by Mr. Ma:

1. He is trying to salvage his legacy.  As his standing in the polls is way down, he feels he wants to do something drastic to burnish his image.  He is generally considered a down-and-out has-been politician.  Very few people outside his own little circle believe him anymore.

2. He is trying to turn the tide in the Taiwan presidential elections, where the Kuomintang with candidate Eric Chu is still way behind in the opinion polls.  Mr. Chu’s manipulation of the ouster of the KMT’s previous candidate Ms. Hung Hsiu-chu didn’t earn him much credit, and that his poll numbers have stayed at around the same level as Ms. Hung.

3. He wants to pin Dr. Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP down on the cross-Strait issue, and restrict her future room for maneuver by concluding/agreeing with Xi Jinping that cross-Strait “stability” cannot be guaranteed unless Dr. Tsai agrees to embrace the 1992 Consensus.

Many in Taiwan see the “1992 Consensus” as a slippery slope towards unification.  They want to keep all options open for Taiwan, and want the Taiwanese people to have a free and open decision on their future.

In FAPA’s view, the present “peace and stability” is only artificial, as it is predicated on the fact that Ma Ying-jeou has given the PRC the impression that Taiwan is inexorably drifting in its direction.  As is very clear from opinion polls, that is simply not the case: the Taiwanese people prefer their democracy and freedom.

FAPA believes that:

1. The timing and the way this meeting came about is not conducive to a balanced and responsible debate in Taiwan on future relations with China.  With his approach, Mr. Ma is attempting to preempt a DPP government that will be elected in January 2016 from exploring directions that will provide better safeguards for Taiwan’s future as a free and democratic nation.

2. It is inappropriate for a lame duck president to engage in such a meeting only two months before the January presidential and legislative elections in Taiwan.  There is obviously no consensus in Taiwan yet on how to move forward on cross-Strait relations.  And Mr. Ma does not have any mandate: to the contrary, his pro-China policies have been soundly rejected in both the November 2014 elections and in recent opinion polls.

3. A truly fruitful and productive meeting between the leaders from the two sides can only be held in due time, after Taiwan itself has reached a broad consensus on future cross-Strait relations in a transparent and open political process.

台灣人公共事務會對馬習會的召開表示遺憾

台灣人公共事務會是一個設立於美國華府的台美人草根組織。昨日，各界在事前毫無所悉的情況下，得知馬習會將於本週六於新加坡召開，本會對馬政府這樣處理方式感到遺憾。

反民主的黑箱作業一直是馬政府的常用手法。國人對於將於本週六召開的馬習會毫無所悉，遲至昨日才因媒體的揭露而曝光，這種欠缺透明的決策一再的出現，包含2014年馬政府與中國所簽訂的服務貿易協定，2015年歷史科課綱的修正，這也引起民間一次次大規模的抗爭。

這次會議的臨時通知，違背馬英九總統一直以來承諾在兩岸議題上他將採行「零驚喜」的路線，特別是他對美國的承諾。然而，馬這次將與習近平見面的消息，卻是給了大家十足的意外。

促使馬總統參與這次會面的動機有以下幾點：

1. 他正嘗試挽救他的歷史定位。在過去這段時間，馬的民調數字持續低迷，他早已被大眾認為是一位出局且過時的政客。除了極少數他身邊的人仍持續支持他外，多數人早已對他沒有期待與信任。因此，馬透過這次的會面，重新贏回他的支持度。

2. 他希望翻轉國民黨的選情。國民黨以民調等理由撤換總統參選人洪秀柱，但在朱立倫參選後，他的民調與洪秀柱相比並沒有太大的差異。透過這次的會面，馬希望改變國民黨總統候選人朱立倫落後的選情。

3. 馬希望透過這次的會面，限制蔡英文與民進黨未來在兩岸議題的操作空間。這將使蔡英文若要主張兩岸的穩定，則必須被迫接受九二共識的框架。

許多人已認識到九二共識將開啟統一的斜坡。人們相信，應該為台灣人保留所有的選項，也讓台灣人民能自由且公開的選擇他們的未來。

本會認為，當前的「和平與穩定」是建構在虛構的基礎上，馬政府錯誤讓中國政府認為台灣人民希望往統一的方向前進。然而，透過各種民調數字，我們可以很清楚知道，台灣人民所真正在意與追求的，是台灣的民主與自由。

因此，本會認為：

1.本次見面的時機與方式，不能充分且平衡的傳達台灣人對兩岸關係未來的想法。馬英九在這種情況與習近平下見面，將阻礙明年可能上台的民進黨政府為台灣未來的民主與自由找尋一條更有保障道路的可能。

2.距離下屆總統與立委選舉已不到兩個月的時間，馬作為一位跛鴨總統，實已不適合進行這次的會面。當前台灣很清楚的狀況是，台灣內部仍未形塑出未來兩岸關係的共識。又參照國民黨去年九合一選舉的大敗與近來低迷的民調數字，也顯示馬英九總統傾中的路線早已不被多數台灣人所接受，馬總統此時的出席已不能取得全民的授權。

3. 一個真正能有成果且具建設性的雙邊會談的舉行，必須在台灣內部已就兩岸未來的關係，以公開且透明的方式形塑出共識為前提。

Photo Credit: 台灣總統府 (Flickr)

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For Immediate Release
Washington DC – January 10, 2014
Contact: (202) 547-3686

Trong Chai – A Pioneer In Taiwan’s Democracy Movement And A Founding Father Of FAPA Passes Away

“It’s a sad day for all of us at FAPA and a sad day for Taiwan’s democracy and independence movement,” said FAPA President Dr. Mark Kao today upon the passing of Dr. Trong Chai.

“A great Taiwanese life has come to an end. Trong Chai won Taiwan’s respect with his pioneering initiatives, and the respect of the United States Congress in particular and of the American public in general for his determination and conviction to make Taiwan a better place. That is his greatest legacy.”

Born in 1935, Chai came to the United States to study, and received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. He subsequently became a professor of political science at the City University of New York.

Together with Professor Peng Ming-min and Dr. Mark Chen, Dr. Trong Chai was one of the founding fathers of FAPA and became its first president in 1982.

After returning to Taiwan in 1990, he became a member of the Legislative Yuan for the DPP between 1993 and 2008 representing his hometown of Chiayi.

He founded the Association for a Plebiscite and Formosa TV.

“To many of us at FAPA he was a personal friend and a role model,” Dr. Kao continues. “We campaigned for him during his LY races. We handed out leaflets. And we made phone calls on his behalf.”

“Dr. Chai would visit FAPA HQ every time he was in Washington. We at FAPA fondly remember stories told to us by Congressional aides that Chai would challenge in a push-up contest whenever they would visit Formosa TV in Taipei.”

“Now, his stay on earth has ended, a long and eventful journey that helped shape Taiwan’s democracy,” Dr. Kao concludes.

Former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) reacted as follows:

“As a lifelong friend of the people of Taiwan, a friend of Taiwanese Americans, and a founding member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, it saddens me deeply to hear about the passing of Dr. Trong Chai today.

Dr. Chai was a patriot and true leader of the people of Taiwan and a familiar face to many of us on Capitol Hill, where he would often meet with Members of Congress to discuss the importance of freedom and democracy in Taiwan.

My thoughts today are with his family and with the many Taiwanese Americans and Taiwanese who, like me, considered him a friend. We will all miss his talent and dedication to fighting for a free and democratic society on behalf of the people of his beloved Taiwan.”

台灣民主先鋒、台灣人公共事務會創會會長－蔡同榮先生逝世

台灣人公共事務會會長高龍榮博士，今天對前會長蔡同榮博士的逝世表示哀悼：「今天對台灣人公共事務會全體會員，以及台灣獨立民主運動都是哀傷的一天。」

「一個偉大的台灣人走到了生命的盡頭。蔡同榮博士致力於讓台灣成唯一個更好的國家，這個民主先鋒的精神，贏得了台灣人，以及美國國會及人民的尊敬。這是他所遺留下來最大的資產。」

蔡同榮博士、彭明敏教授，與陳唐山博士等人一同創立了台灣人公共事務會，並於1982成為其第一任會長。

蔡博士於1935年出生，並於南加州大學取得博士學位，隨後成為紐約市立大學的政治學教授。

蔡博士於1990年返台，並於1993年代表民進黨競選立法委員。當選後的蔡博士從1993年擔任嘉義市立委一直到2008年卸任。

蔡博士同時也創立了公民投票促進會以及民間全民電視公司（民視）。

高博士表示：「對台灣人公共事務會的許多人而言，蔡博士是我們的楷模，也是好友。我們在他競選立委時為其助選、發宣傳單，並打電話拉票。」

「每當蔡博士造訪華府的時候，都會造訪台灣人公共事務會總部。我們也記得國會議員助理常跟我們提到，每當他們拜訪台北民視總部時，蔡博士都會與他們軋伏地挺身。」

高博士總結道：「如今，他一生幫助台灣實現民主的精彩旅程已走到了終點。」

Photo Credit: 《我要回去》（1990，蔡同榮著）

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