The Taiwan Association of University Professors yesterday alerted the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government to a widening gap between the it's achievements and the expectations of the party's supporters.
According to a survey conducted by the pro-independence association on its 67 members between October and last month, the group's professors were dissatisfied with the government efforts on national security, constitutional reform and social justice over the past year.
The survey results were released at a conference titled "Final Report on the 2006 Taiwan Political Situation Watch" in Taipei yesterday.
Association member Hsu Chu-feng (
The score this year showed a slight decrease, which might be because the government had been occupied with defending itself from the pan-blue camp's attacks, Hsu said.
He added that the existing pan-blue-dominated legislative structure also contributed to the government's inability to achieve its stated goals.
raise consciousness
When asked to write down suggestions for the government, members demanded it take stricter measures to manage cross-strait trade, raise "Taiwanese consciousness," avoid being election-minded and be practical when drawing up administrative plans, he said.
"There are still 13 to 14 months left [in President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) term]," he said. "The government should show [the public] more daring and resolution."
Hsu, however, said that the integrity, efficiency and reformative determination of the government under the DPP were still superior to those of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) when it was in power.
The survey revealed that there were greater levels of satisfaction regarding the government's work on issues connected to ethnic communities, improvement of the quality of life and environmental protection.
Chen Chun-sheng (
two-way strategy
Chen, who was responsible for an analysis of the cross-strait relationship over the last year in the report, said the risk resulted from China's two-way strategy to devour Taiwan -- drawing non-government circles to its side on the one hand while blockading Taiwan's diplomatic circle on the other.
The best way to save Taiwan is to "allow Taiwanese to decide their future through elections," he said, by which he meant voters should abandon pro-China political parties and candidates during [next years's] legislative and [2008] presidential elections and "cultivate more candidates bearing Taiwanese consciousness."
Lee Yeau-tarn (
This was largely due to the large amount of money the KMT garnered by selling its stolen assets, Lee said.
He added that the unfair competition would be worse if the money was used by the KMT to prepare for next year's legislative poll or the presidential race in 2008.
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