I share the excitement that former premier William Lai (賴清德) inspired when on March 18 he registered as a candidate for the Democratic Progressive Party’s presidential primary.
“Taiwan is facing a more precarious situation in the face of China’s threats,” Lai said. “Taiwan does not want to be a second Hong Kong or Tibet. The elections in 2020 are critical to Taiwan’s future.”
I totally agree with his assessment and support his candidacy.
However, it is sad and regrettable that Presidential Office Secretary-General Chen Chu (陳菊), Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) and Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) described Lai joining the DPP presidential race as divisive to the party. Their preference for a candidate, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who simply does not follow through on the essential DPP doctrine, demonstrates clearly that its leaders do not understand the true meaning and principles of democracy.
If someone thinks they can serve, they can be a candidate for any elected position — be that a president or prime minister. This happens in the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and even in neighboring Japan. Prominent DPP leaders like Chen, Cheng and Tsai Chi-chang should applaud and welcome Lai’s willingness to participate in a fair and just competition. They should encourage more party members to enter the race if they feel they can better serve the people and the country.
Fewer than 48 hours after Lai’s announcement, 34 DPP legislators announced their unanimous support for President Tsai. This is a deplorable display of corrupt party politics and contradicts the principles of democracy. Do not forget the shameful antics of the “notorious 4” — Tsai Ing-wen’s most trusted associates — and their pre-election night meeting with Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) last year. There is still no explanation for why this happened. The consequences of that meeting included the defeat of the DPP’s Taipei mayoral candidate, Pasuya Yao (姚文智).
Tsai Ing-wen has said that the DPP and Taiwan need her to be the president. She outlined “three requirements” that qualify her for the position:
First, she is familiar with international affairs and is capable of dealing with different groups, politicians and representatives. She can withstand pressure and criticism, while she tackles problems that those in power have avoided for a long time.
Second, she can deal with and tolerate the uproar of anti-reformers.
And third, she is a “star player and a good captain.” She can deal with even the most ordinary of tasks. She believes that she can unite the DPP, as well as like-minded groups in society. Indirectly, she questioned whether Lai possesses these “three requirements.”
I listened to her recent news conference carefully. I felt numb when she avoided the most important duties of a president, such as supporting the economy, improving people’s lives and ensuring a strong national defense.
No one doubts that China would take over Taiwan by force, if necessary. It would be cheaper than winning over the hearts and souls of Taiwanese. However, in President Tsai’s nearly three years in office, retired generals have been free to go to China to attend conferences or play golf with their counterparts in China, while Chinese government officials have been free to visit Taiwan and walk into villages.
After the DPP’s huge losses in last year’s local elections, the 15 newly elected KMT city mayors and county commissioners openly echoed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) “one country, two systems” model. Chinese national flags are flown in the streets of Taipei, the nation’s capital, and now in Kaohsiung. Major pro-China newspapers and TV stations continue to publish, distribute and spread bold, twisted and sensational headlines, misinformation and fake news.
President Tsai has allowed the KMT to continue to deceive the public that “one country, two systems” does not mean Taiwan belongs to China, despite Xi making it clear in his New Year message to Taiwanese that it only means unification. President Tsai and her National Security Council and National Communications Commission (NCC) have clearly failed to recognize the seriousness of daily brainwashing and the long-term effect of numbing Taiwanese over national identity and security.
Under her governance, the majority of DPP legislators are like puppets and no longer show the courage and determination they had when they were in the opposition and fighting for governing power. Has she forgotten what she promised most Taiwanese?
Her administration is approaching four years of governance. What happened to judicial transformation and transitional justice? Why has she not pursued correcting the swift human rights violations and injustices imposed on former president Chen Shui-ban (陳水扁)? Has she held the Financial Supervisory Commission responsible for the huge losses by Mega Bank in New York?
Do not forget that this scandal resulted in considerable penalties paid by Taiwanese taxpayers. These ridiculous penalties include a US$29 million fine levied by US federal financial authorities for money laundering and another US$180 million fine paid to New York State authorities for violations that included lax attention to risk exposure in Panama.
It is President Tsai who has allowed Kuan Chung-ming (管中閔) to remain president of National Taiwan University, despite a mounting uproar by academia, distinguished scholars and the public.
Kuan is accused of plagiarizing students’ papers. As National Development Council minister under then-president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Kuan was a visiting lecturer to China paid by Chinese academic institutions. He was also a paid independent director for Taiwan Mobile. The vice chairman of this company was a voting member on the selection committee that was charged with electing the best candidate. Not surprisingly, Kuan won.
It crosses a red line when the president of an academic institution in Taiwan is ensnared in so many unethical and immoral scandals. When educational reform in Taiwan is so urgently needed, Kuan sets an awful example.
There are many inept and dysfunctional government organizations and officials. President Tsai has ignored and failed to make them right. The NCC and the Central Election Committee are the most recent examples of insiders appointed by the president who have failed to get any meaningful work done. We, the overseas Taiwanese, are deeply disappointed that we supported Tsai Ing-wen as the DPP candidate in the 2016 presidential election.
It appears that President Tsai is unwilling and has no intention of seizing the opportunity to strengthen Taiwan-US diplomatic relations. She has not made an effort to make Taiwan a legitimate country recognized by the free world, which the DPP has embedded in its party doctrine.
She has not supported the “Taiwan for UN” movement. US President Donald Trump fights for and delivers what he has promised his voters, while Tsai Ing-wen has proven herself a wimp incapable of following through. She is indecisive and has greatly disappointed more than 800 million Taiwanese voters who believed she would make Taiwanization a reality.
I question her loyalty to the people of Taiwan and overseas Taiwanese. She spent years serving the KMT government. She befriends and trusts many of its officials and colleagues. She sees “no talented people” in the DPP.
To my understanding, she has never attended overseas Taiwanese association activities. With her education and wealth, her rise is a historic opportunity. She might be a “green skinned, blue boned” person. She has lost the public’s trust. She sticks with her policy of maintaining the “status quo” for Taiwan, while the world around us keeps changing. China has openly crossed red lines numerous times. Today we are still waiting for her to comment on the American Institute in Taiwan’s rebuke of Taiwan’s effort to seek a referendum on independence.
Taiwanese Americans will not accept the US interfering in Taiwan’s internal affairs. Referendums are a given right in a true democracy.
Lai has said that he is a practical Taiwanese independence movement worker. He believes in “Taiwan first.” His distinguished political career dwarfs that of any other political leader. He won a landslide victory in the Tainan mayoral election twice. He has a higher approval rating than President Tsai in multiple public polls. He has demonstrated a deep and immense knowledge of what people want and need. He belongs to the ordinary people on the street. I believe he will be a terrific political leader for Taiwan and the DPP political. I hereby appeal to people at home and abroad to unite and elect Lai as our next president. He will let Taiwan shine on the world stage.
Cheng Tien-chu is a former president of the North American Taiwanese Medical Association.
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