There used to be a city that never slept, with underground businesses on every street corner and criminal cases hitting historical highs. Let's not even talk about the nightmarish traffic situation. Now it is ranked as one of the top three most livable cities in Asia. No joke, it's Taipei.
For those who have been complaining about Taipei's yet-to-be-good quality of life, Asiaweek's latest annual survey showed the significant progress the city has made over the last three years.
When Asiaweek began ranking the most livable cities in Asia three years ago, Taipei was not even in the top ten. Then in 1997, it moved into 10th place and in 1998, it appeared at No.5. This year, it shared the second place with Osaka, Japan,while first place honors went to Fukuoka, Japan.
Among big cities such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul, Taipei stands out as a city with cleaner air and more green space. Even in comparison with Fukuoka and Osaka, Taipei enjoys fewer criminal cases, a lower unemployment rate, less inflation and shorter commuting times.
The transformation of Taipei, commented on by Asiaweek, demonstrates that "with the right will, even an urban nightmare can be made enjoyable." Today, the city's air is visibly better, the sidewalks are cleaner and the amount of green space is expanding.
However, the view from here at home tells a different and harsher story. According to a survey conducted by the United Daily News, released on the eve of Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) one-year anniversary in office, Ma scores a 70 percent approval rating.
However, Taipei residents give the city government as a team only a 47 percent approval rating. Most Taipei residents are satisfied with the improvements in the medical insurance and health care systems, as well as the quality of life. Nevertheless, the city government's performance on traffic and crime are two major causes of dissatisfaction.
Another poll conducted by TVBS showed approval rates for Ma himself and his administration at 62 percent and 48 percent, respectively.
Prohibiting road obstacles and drunk driving are two policies that have won high praise. However, there are signs of a deterioration in the traffic situation and a rebirth in the underground sex industry.
Ma's reaction to the polls was quite unusual. He questioned Asiaweek's results, saying "does Taipei really deserve the title as the second most liveable city in Asia? I don't think so." The local surveys revealed only part of reason why Ma downplayed Asiaweek's ranking.
The main reason is the higher support rates received by his predecessor, Chen Shiu-bian(陳水扁).
During Chen's administration, he and his team both won approval ratings of over 75 percent. That obviously put great pressure on Ma when he won last year's election.
Most importantly, the Asiaweek survey gave Chen most of the credit for Taipei's achievements. For under his rule, the magazine said, "the number of violent crimes fell from 2,356 in 1995 to 1,654 in 1998. Although many of Chen's reforms were minor, he made lots of them."
It seems that the real issue here is not who should get credit for this but how the city's transformation took place and what it means for the future of Taipei.
Chen's more aggressive efforts to crack down on the sex industry and improve the traffic situation won both applause and complaints. While his "iron fist" style of leadership created a new image for Taipei, his critics argued that his determination to execute laws only drove illegal businesses underground.
Nevertheless, Chen's efforts did make some changes to the city as a whole. His rule showed that only through decisiveness can a city be injected with a new vitality.
Another key element differentiating Chen from Ma is the extent to which the mayor could actually stir up the whole bureaucratic machine. One general impression of Ma's year in office is that while he himself has attracted most of the spotlight, his senior administators cabinet trail far behind. Lack of executive experience and brureaucratic coordination constitute the main reasons for the gap. Differing leadership styles may be another reason, but we cannot simply rely upon a charismatic leader to rule the city.
The good news is that the gap between Ma's personal support and support for his team is gradually narrowing. It takes time and effort to put everybody on the right track.
So what is the future for Taipei? As the capital as well as the political and economic center of Taiwan, Taipei City enjoys a greater amount of resources than other cities and counties. It is natural for it to be judged by stricter standards. Nevertheless, a more positive and long-term look at the future of the city will clarify the current irony.
First and foremost, Taipei City serves as a model for real democratic practice in Taiwan. If it wasn't because of the change in power from party to party, Taipei wouldn't have experienced such progress. In this regard, the Taipei experience shows the benefit and significance in alternating parties.
Second, it is only fair to give Ma and his administration praise for his efforts to adjust the mentality of governing.
Given that politics has often been used as a tool for scoring personal political points, any mayor, be it from the KMT, the DPP or another party, will have to find a balanced position in order to win the support of all Taipei citizens. We look forward to a brighter future for Taipei.
Liu Shih-chung is deputy director of the DPP's Department of International Affairs.
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