Taipei Times: Previously, much of your work focused on promoting Taiwan in the international arena, but now you are running for the post of a local government head. What are the major differences for you?
Jason Hu: Actually both are the same -- they are about dealing with public affairs. Although in the diplomatic arena you pay great attention to protocol and the rules of the game, to present yourself successfully either in a formal diplomatic activity or in a local meeting with the general public, it is the human touch that you need to master.
TT: Your opponents criticize you as being "unfamiliar with local affairs." How do you respond to that criticism?
Hu: I was [Taiwan's] representative to the US and later foreign minister. I did these jobs not for my own benefit, but to safeguard Taiwan's security and dignity. Wouldn't it be strange if my efforts in Taiwan's foreign affairs win nationwide recognition but fail to gain the approval of Taichung City residents?
TT: If you are elected but then have opportunities to join the Cabinet or return to the central government, say, if the KMT wins in the next presidential election, what would your choices be?
Hu: I would stay [in Taichung] for at least four years and surely hope to win re-election. This is a contract with voters and also my commitment. I hope when I look back on my life, I will be able to say that I was once a good mayor, and not just a good minister.
TT: In the last Taichung mayoral election, one of the major factors of Chang Wen-ying's (
Hu: Basically, I still doubt whether factional defections were really the key factor in the KMT's loss. More importantly, Taichung City has evolved with an urban constituency structure, in which local factions do not control most votes.
These voters don't identify themselves with factions and don't affiliate themselves with political parties. Even the influence of political parties is declining remarkably. Most voters base their choice on individual candidates' qualifications instead of their party affiliation. I will not adopt traditional campaigning methods. But basically, the KMT is united this time.
TT: How about the effect of the People First Party's attitude toward the election?
Hu: While James Soong (宋楚瑜) got the most votes, 220,000, in Taichung City, outshining other candidates in last year's presidential election, the PFP should not indulge in the myth that all those votes will automatically transfer to the PFP in the year-end elections.
I think that the PFP's best strategy is to maintain an ambiguous attitude. If they insist on coarsely nominating some heavyweight to join the election, it will only tarnish Mr. Soong's image, instead of drawing more supporters [for his party].
TT: You've put forth plans for the city to have an international dimension and you advocate "integrating Taichung City into the Asia Pacific economic market." How do you present this to Taichung City residents in plain language?
Hu: Residents in central Taiwan have always criticized the government for "tilting toward the north, ignoring the south and forgetting Taichung."
Now the people want Jason Hu for Taichung City because only with Jason Hu can the people of Taichung tell other people with pride that they also have a top mayor and that Taichung is on a par with Taipei and Kaohsiung.
That's why my campaign has a new slogan. It's "North Taiwan has Ma, the South has Hsieh, and central Taiwan needs Hu."
Besides, I have many international friends, who will all ask, "Where is Jason Hu?"
When they learn that minister Hu has become Mayor Hu, they will surely ask, "Where is Taichung City?" and they will want to visit and get to know Taichung.
Wouldn't this be the best way for Taichung to get on track with international society?
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Thursday. US Senator Mike Rounds asked Haines about such a potential scenario. He also asked US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open. Paparo made the remarks at a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, where he took over the command from Admiral John Aquilino. “Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and its rapid buildup of forces. We must be ready to answer the PRC’s increasingly intrusive and
STATE OF THE NATION: The legislature should invite the president to deliver an address every year, the TPP said, adding that Lai should also have to answer legislators’ questions The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20. Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his intended policies with the public’s representatives, KMT caucus secretary-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said when making the proposal at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee. The committee voted to add the item to the agenda for Friday, along with another similar proposal put forward by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The invitation is in line with Article 15-2