DPP legislator Shen Fu-hsiung (
Since Chen took office, Taiwan has undergone a series of crises -- including the Pachang Creek (
Consequently, the DPP has finally realized that the current political chaos can never be cleared up unless the ruling party is willing to share its power with the opposition.
Originally, the DPP government was hoping that former president Lee Teng-hui (
On the other hand, since Chen's popularity is far inferior to Lee's, the DPP was also worried that the ruling party might be manipulated by Lee and his alliances. The party was also concerned that the "ethnic sentiments" (省籍情結) between pro- and anti-independence camps might be aroused again, needlessly consuming much of the island's energy and vitality. As a result, the DPP has given up the idea and has now started to re-consider the possibility of forming a coalition cabinet (聯合內閣) with the KMT in order to break through the current political deadlock.
But can a coalition cabinet really help the DPP government break the deadlock?
First, such a suggestion was just an idea proposed by some DPP lawmakers and has never been acknowledged by Chen himself. Even if Chen is willing to part with some of his power to the KMT, the KMT won't necessarily accept it. For example, some KMT lawmakers believe that the DPP government is now passing a "hot potato" to the KMT, so that the KMT will become the scapegoat for the DPP's inability to solve problems. Besides, if the KMT says yes to the coalition cabinet now, Taiwanese people might think that the KMT was simply trying to gain more power all along when it fought with the DPP government. Most likely, people may consider greed for power as the motive for the KMT's motion to recall the president.
Second, due to the conflicts between the KMT and the DPP, a basis for a coalition cabinet is thoroughly lacking at this time. If a coalition cabinet is formed recklessly, more conflicts might be triggered when the coalition government makes major policy decisions in the future. Take the halt of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant construction for example. The pro-nuclear KMT and the anti-nuclear DPP never agreed to any concessions from their respective positions, and completely shut the door on negotiations. The same problem also happened to the workweek amendment and other major policies. Thus, in a backdrop of conflicting ideologies and party interests, how could the KMT and the DPP form a coalition cabinet now? If we take a close look at other countries, we will see that in each instance a ruling party only forms a coalition government with opposition parties with similar stances or interests.
To solve Taiwan's political difficulties, it is best to abide by the Constitution of the ROC to fully implement the "semi-presidential" system (
If Chen will seriously consider these suggestions and face the reality that his party is only a minority in the Legislative Yuan, I believe the political difficulties will soon be solved, and Taiwan will gradually regain its prosperity.
Huang Hsien-chou is a KMT legislator.
Translated by Eddy Chang
A return to power for former US president Donald Trump would pose grave risks to Taiwan’s security, autonomy and the broader stability of the Indo-Pacific region. The stakes have never been higher as China aggressively escalates its pressure on Taiwan, deploying economic, military and psychological tactics aimed at subjugating the nation under Beijing’s control. The US has long acted as Taiwan’s foremost security partner, a bulwark against Chinese expansionism in the region. However, a second Trump presidency could upend decades of US commitments, introducing unpredictability that could embolden Beijing and severely compromise Taiwan’s position. While president, Trump’s foreign policy reflected a transactional
There appears to be a growing view among leaders and leading thinkers in Taiwan that their words and actions have no influence over how China approaches cross-Strait relations. According to this logic, China’s actions toward Taiwan are guided by China’s unwavering ambition to assert control over Taiwan. Many also believe Beijing’s approach is influenced by China’s domestic politics. As the thinking goes, former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) made a good faith effort to demonstrate her moderation on cross-Strait issues throughout her tenure. During her 2016 inaugural address, Tsai sent several constructive signals, including by acknowledging the historical fact of interactions and
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has prioritized modernizing the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to rival the US military, with many experts believing he would not act on Taiwan until the PLA is fully prepared to confront US forces. At the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th Party Congress in 2022, Xi emphasized accelerating this modernization, setting 2027 — the PLA’s centennial — as the new target, replacing the previous 2035 goal. US intelligence agencies said that Xi has directed the PLA to be ready for a potential invasion of Taiwan by 2027, although no decision on launching an attack had been made. Whether
HSBC Holdings successfully fought off a breakup campaign by disgruntled Asian investors in recent years. Now, it has announced a restructuring along almost the same east-west lines. The obvious question is why? It says it is designed to create a simpler, more efficient and dynamic company. However, it looks a lot like the bank is also facing up to the political reality of the growing schism between the US and China. A new structure would not dissolve HSBC’s geopolitical challenges, but it could give the bank better options to respond quickly if things worsen. HSBC spent 2022 battling to convince shareholders of