Seeing the nation's overheated political scene starting to cool down is a good thing. A positive atmosphere for cross-party negotiation and cooperation is beginning to emerge. Since the overall blue-green division of the political map has pretty much settled, interparty bickering is not going to change anything. Nor should the parties seek to mobilize their supporters. It is time for them to sit down and talk.
Democratic politics are essentially all about negotiation, persuasion and reconciliation. Under a Cabinet system, the result is often a coalition government. At first, it is difficult to work with people with different ideas and tolerate different opinions, but doing this is the first step toward a democratic culture.
In the early 1990s, Japan's Liberal Democratic Party lost its hold on power and was forced to form a coalition government with the Democratic Socialist Party. Since they upheld totally different ideals, the coalition was dubbed a yagou, a term used to refer to an illicit intimate relationship. The coalition did not last long but the Japanese people benefited from it and it also shook up Japan's factional politics.
In this country, the governing and opposition parties do not differ significantly over social and economic policies. It is only on cross-strait relations that they do not see eye to eye. Ultimately, their similarities are greater than their differences. But during the elections, each side either exaggerated or distorted their opponent's propositions. As a consequence of the media's frenzied over-interpretation, the basically identical electoral propositions soon deteriorated into a war between good and evil.
Now many people have proposed that leaders of political parties meet, with the meetings televised so the whole process is transparent. It is easier to talk through misunderstandings and solve differences when we are calm. But faced with the TV cameras, people often change their attitudes or posture. Without a basic sense of mutual trust, all meetings will be meaningless.
Some might assume that the cooperation between the governing and the opposition parties is no more than a division of political spoils, bribery, treachery and betrayal. This kind of thinking is the product of authoritarian government. In a democracy, the cooperation between the governing and the opposition parties is necessary and normal. Cooperation over policy makes a country operate on the right track of democracy. This is something we have to learn.
The last two presidential and legislative elections fueled animosity between President Chen Shui-bian (
Better relations between the government and opposition will help improve ethnic harmony as well as cross-strait relations. Over the past four years, the feuds between Chen, Lee, Lien and Soong have aggravated ideological issues and ethnic tensions.
People followed the lead of these politicians blindly and became inextricably tangled up in the conflicts. Fortunately, the political fervor is now starting to cool down. It is a good time for us to come to our senses.
The first cooperation between the ruling and the opposition parties may look like a yagou. Some are afraid it is all a set-up, while others fear their reputations will be tarnished. If the parties cooperate over policy only, then personalities will not be an issue. If Taiwan wants to stay on the road of democracy, then cross-party cooperation will be a step in the right direction.
Antonio Chiang is a former deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council.
TRANSLATED BY DANIEL CHENG
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.