Ko’s approach is correct
As part of his insistence on cutting down on one-time payments, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) has said that, beginning next year, the city would cut NT$700 million (US$21.5 million) from the bonuses that are paid to senior citizens every year to mark Double Ninth Day — also known as Senior Citizens’ Day — by excluding wealthy elderly people from the program.
The decision has been criticized by both city councilors and the public. Ko has said that city councilors have told him that going ahead with the cuts would shave 5 percent off his approval rating. Despite this, Ko said “what must be done must be done.”
Ko’s approach is in fact the correct approach. He should call on other counties and cities to review the bonuses handed out to senior citizens, since the mayor of Taipei does not have to pay too much attention to approval ratings, as higher approval rating does not always guarantee re-election.
After former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was elected mayor of Taipei in November 1995, a Gallup poll showed that Chen’s approval stood at 76.5 percent and in 1996, that number had increased to 84 percent.
In 1997, his approval rating had dropped slightly back to 76 percent and it was still at that level by the end of 1998.
However, despite his popularity, Chen failed to be re-elected.
This is a good reason why Ko should be encouraged to act bolder in his reforms and not stop at excluding wealthy elderly people from receiving the senior citizen bonus.
In the past, he has talked about simplifying the process for awarding model students. He should go ahead with a root-and-branch reform so that all that is required is that each school take pictures of its model students.
This would really make city residents feel that things are changing.
Chang Jui-peng
New Taipei City
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
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.
As Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s party won by a landslide in Sunday’s parliamentary election, it is a good time to take another look at recent developments in the Maldivian foreign policy. While Muizzu has been promoting his “Maldives First” policy, the agenda seems to have lost sight of a number of factors. Contemporary Maldivian policy serves as a stark illustration of how a blend of missteps in public posturing, populist agendas and inattentive leadership can lead to diplomatic setbacks and damage a country’s long-term foreign policy priorities. Over the past few months, Maldivian foreign policy has entangled itself in playing
A group of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers led by the party’s legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (?) are to visit Beijing for four days this week, but some have questioned the timing and purpose of the visit, which demonstrates the KMT caucus’ increasing arrogance. Fu on Wednesday last week confirmed that following an invitation by Beijing, he would lead a group of lawmakers to China from Thursday to Sunday to discuss tourism and agricultural exports, but he refused to say whether they would meet with Chinese officials. That the visit is taking place during the legislative session and in the aftermath