《TAIPEI TIMES》 Groups urge candidates to sign pledge

SOURCE OF REFERENCE: Candidates running in the local vote should promise not to encourage people to capitulate or surrender to China, a pro-independence group said

By Chen Yu-fu and Jason Pan / Staff reporters

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Leaders of several pro-independence groups yesterday called on candidates running in November’s local elections to sign a pledge to “defend Taiwan and never surrender.”

“We request candidates from all political parties, especially those running for mayor and county commissioner, to sign this pledge to let the world know that Taiwan is facing military belligerence from China, which threatens to invade the nation,” World United Formosans for Independence chairman Chen Nan-tien （陳南天） told a news conference in Taipei.

“It is crucial to enhance Taiwanese’s will and determination to fight against the enemy and show that we will mount a strong resistance to fight them off,” he added.

“We want the candidates to sign the pledge to show Taiwanese and the international community that, if elected, they would not take any action or speak in a manner to promote capitulation, appeasement or surrender,” he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping （習近平） has ratcheted up intimidation of Taiwan with military exercises and is “using his proxies to create strife and internal conflict within Taiwan,” he said.

Presbyterian Church in Taiwan representative Pastor Lin Wei-lien （林偉聯） said there are two months to go before the elections and it is time to see whether the candidates will sign the pledge.

Some politicians have fantasies and dreams about China, he said. “But they choose not to see the atrocities happening under Chinese rule, such as those in Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong,” he said.

Taiwan New Constitution Foundation deputy director Sung Cheng-en （宋承恩） said the request to pledge not to surrender is squarely aimed against talks of "appeasement" and "capitulation" rife in some quarters within Taiwan.

The groups said they would announce which candidates signed the pledge two weeks prior to the elections to serve as a reference for voters before they cast their votes.

Voters are to elect 11,023 public officials at all levels of local government, including special municipality mayors and councilors, county commissioners and councilors, indigenous district representatives and councilors, township mayors and councilors, and borough and village wardens.

Additional reporting by CNA

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES