Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday said former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) made contributions to Taiwan’s democracy and because the nation is a diverse society, people’s contributions and demerits can be discussed together.
Ko on Friday — the eve of the 30th anniversary of Chiang’s death — attended the book launch of a former government insider’s story on Chiang’s strategic changes in his late years.
“Some people praise him for being the helmsman of Taiwan’s democratic reform, but others criticize him as a dictator who purged his political opponents and seriously violated human rights,” Ko said. “The political reforms introduced during his later years came under the pressure of democracy drives, both domestically and internationally.”
It is worth pondering why a dictator is still remembered and cherished by many people decades after his death, Ko added.
Ko said as a former surgeon who values practical decisions based on a rational mindset, he feels that people should speak honestly if they want to understand each other and bring about change.
If more information is made public, allowing for more rational discussions and reflections on historical truth, people can avoid making the same mistakes in the future, Ko said, adding that the Act on Promoting Transitional Justice (促進轉型正義條例) could be an opportunity for Taiwan to review its history.
The road to democracy and freedom in Taiwan has been unstable, but “president Chiang’s efforts in following the trend of the time were contributive,” he said.
Ko’s speech raised suspicion among some that he was trying to win support from members of the pan-blue camp.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) criticized Ko for praising Chiang, saying it was “loathsome” if he made the speech to gain support in this year’s mayoral election.
The Act on Promoting Transitional Justice should help solve the nation’s current problems, prevent the same mistakes from being made again and hopefully create more room for cooperation, Ko said.
It should not be used to worsen the situation or create more hate among the public, he said.
LOW RISK: Most nations do not extradite people accused of political crimes, and the UN says extradition can only happen if the act is a crime in both countries, an official said China yesterday issued wanted notices for two Taiwanese influencers, accusing them of committing “separatist acts” by criticizing Beijing, amid broadening concerns over China’s state-directed transnational repression. The Quanzhou Public Security Bureau in a notice posted online said police are offering a reward of up to 25,000 yuan (US$3,523) for information that could contribute to the investigation or apprehension of pro-Taiwanese independence YouTuber Wen Tzu-yu (溫子渝),who is known as Pa Chiung (八炯) online, and rapper Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源). Wen and Chen are suspected of spreading content that supported secession from China, slandered Chinese policies that benefit Taiwanese and discrimination against Chinese spouses of
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
PROMOTION: Travelers who want a free stopover must book their flights with designated travel agents, such as Lion Travel, Holiday Tours, Cola Tour and Life Tours Air Canada yesterday said it is offering Taiwanese travelers who are headed to North America free stopovers if they transit though airports in Japan and South Korea. The promotion was launched in response to a potential rise in demand for flights to North America in June and July next year, when the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to jointly host the FIFA World Cup, Air Canada said. Air Canada offers services to 13 of the 16 host cities of the tournament’s soccer games, including Toronto and Vancouver; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Dallas; Houston;
The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million, the Pentagon said late yesterday, marking the first such potential transaction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130," and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office. The announcement of the possible arms
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