Based on the results of Taiwan's recent legislative elections, it is clear the DPP must make significant changes for the presidential election in March, as well as for 2012, if it wishes to rectify its defeat.
First, the most immediate and obvious change is to reduce the amount of infighting and finger-pointing within the party. Divisiveness and a lack of unity among DPP members have been principal reasons for its recent political failures.
Next, the recent legislative defeat, as well President Chen Shui-bian's (
While identity politics is a significant topic to resolve, quality of life and economic competitiveness issues have become much more important. Playing the "identity card" no longer resonates as powerfully as it used to among Taiwanese, and it is overplayed. Certain individuals still do not comprehend this fact.
Additionally, because of the nature of the global economy, Taiwan's leaders must realize that aggressive efforts to disrupt the status quo will not be well received by the international community, especially the US.
The US has repeatedly issued statements expressing its concern over any change to the status quo, and that any attempts to do so would harm Taiwan's relationship with Washington.
In order to compete in the future, the DPP must develop a cohesive core platform that emphasizes issues outside of identity politics.
Continuing to play the "identity card," such as the referendum in March concerning Taiwan's UN membership name, is a continuation of a misguided campaign strategy that will only lead to more defeat.
Alvin Lin
Cambridge, Massachusetts
There is much evidence that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is sending soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and is learning lessons for a future war against Taiwan. Until now, the CCP has claimed that they have not sent PLA personnel to support Russian aggression. On 18 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinskiy announced that the CCP is supplying war supplies such as gunpowder, artillery, and weapons subcomponents to Russia. When Zelinskiy announced on 9 April that the Ukrainian Army had captured two Chinese nationals fighting with Russians on the front line with details
On a quiet lane in Taipei’s central Daan District (大安), an otherwise unremarkable high-rise is marked by a police guard and a tawdry A4 printout from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating an “embassy area.” Keen observers would see the emblem of the Holy See, one of Taiwan’s 12 so-called “diplomatic allies.” Unlike Taipei’s other embassies and quasi-consulates, no national flag flies there, nor is there a plaque indicating what country’s embassy this is. Visitors hoping to sign a condolence book for the late Pope Francis would instead have to visit the Italian Trade Office, adjacent to Taipei 101. The death of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), joined by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), held a protest on Saturday on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei. They were essentially standing for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is anxious about the mass recall campaign against KMT legislators. President William Lai (賴清德) said that if the opposition parties truly wanted to fight dictatorship, they should do so in Tiananmen Square — and at the very least, refrain from groveling to Chinese officials during their visits to China, alluding to meetings between KMT members and Chinese authorities. Now that China has been defined as a foreign hostile force,
On April 19, former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) gave a public speech, his first in about 17 years. During the address at the Ketagalan Institute in Taipei, Chen’s words were vague and his tone was sour. He said that democracy should not be used as an echo chamber for a single politician, that people must be tolerant of other views, that the president should not act as a dictator and that the judiciary should not get involved in politics. He then went on to say that others with different opinions should not be criticized as “XX fellow travelers,” in reference to
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