The problem with sincerity is that it is a difficult quality to distinguish.
This might be to the advantage of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
During a visit with KMT supporters in Taichung on Sunday, Ma, in response to a suggestion that the party should change its name to better represent Taiwan, said the party would consider such a move once it had regained the presidency.
It would be interesting to know what the connection in Ma's mind between regaining the presidency and changing his party's name is.
But then, it may just be that he is preoccupied with the former.
Adding weight to the interpretation that Ma's remark was an automatic response to win support ahead of the legislative and presidential elections is the fact that the very next day he had a change of heart.
When cornered by reporters in Taipei, Ma said that his remark did not necessarily mean that the party had decided that it would ever change its name -- only that it was a possibility.
Chairman of the KMT's Culture and Communications Committee Yang Tu (
"[The remark] was nothing to attach great importance to," Yang was quoted as saying.
Yang's explanation is very enlightening and something that all voters should bear in mind when decoding Ma's comments ahead of the elections. Apparently, if the KMT chairman says something you like, it may be because he really means it -- or it may just be that he is being polite.
Critics of the KMT have long attacked the party for its seeming detachment from the country that has served as its base since 1949.
If Ma truly intends to localize his party, showing respect for the average person would be an excellent way to start.
In other words, Ma should stop peddling the stance that the country's official independence is an option for the Taiwanese people, but not an option for the KMT.
The KMT needs to consider more than just a superficial name change. After all, the country already has a "Taiwan Nationalist Party" -- a political party founded by a group of pro-Taiwan independence activists in July 2005.
Instead, the KMT should try identifying with ordinary voters and talk openly and honestly.
Ma has long been regarded by pan-blue supporters as the most likely candidate to run in next year's presidential election.
As a potential presidential hopeful, Ma ought not to weigh his words so lightly if he hopes to gain respect and support from the public.
As former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher said: "To wear your heart on your sleeve isn't a very good plan; you should wear it inside, where it functions best."
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
RSS