“With a change of seat comes a change of mind” (換了位置就換了腦袋) is a popular way of describing a politician whose stance vacillates according to what position he or she holds.
A recent example can be found in news suggesting President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) inclination to double as the chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
Ma, who less than a year ago pledged that he would be a “president of the people” and refrain from also serving as KMT chairman, said in an interview with CTI-TV aired on Sunday that it would be easier for him to push policies through and boost government performance if he were to take over as party chairman.
Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) was quick to downplay Ma’s remarks, saying that he was merely making an “objective analysis.” Ma, however, continues to act coy as far as this issue is concerned; he has not responded to speculation that he could run in the election for chairman this July.
A final decision on the matter will be made in June at the earliest, Ma said on Tuesday after a meeting with KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) that has fueled more speculation.
Recall how former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was criticized by KMT politicians for doubling up as Democratic Progressive Party chairman.
The KMT at the time said that Chen was power-hungry and failed to rise above partisanship to be a “president of the people.”
In 2006, the KMT caucus drafted the “four sunshine bills,” proposing a lobbying act, a political party act and amendments to the Political Donation Act (政治獻金法) and the Public Functionary Assets Disclosure Act (公職人員財產申報法).
Under the leadership of then-KMT chairman Ma, the KMT caucus inserted an article into the political party bill that prohibited “the president from doubling as head of a political party.”
Three years later, Ma’s refusal to give a clear answer on the issue indicates that he is no longer against the idea.
“With a change of seat comes a change of mind,” as they say.
With the KMT holding executive power and three-quarters of the legislature, Taiwan is now witnessing the concentration of power in smaller circles.
With several incidents in past months pointing to corrosion of the nation’s democracy, its institutions and its freedoms, if Taiwan were to combine one-party governance with a consolidation of power at the head of that party, the consequences could be far-reaching.
Ma is fond of using the phrase “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely” in his speeches as a warning to others.
But Ma clearly thinks that he is no ordinary person, and that he would be able to overcome the temptations that come with something approaching absolute power. One thing that he will not be able to overcome, however, is opposition from within his party, which has already made itself keenly felt.
In the event of a war with China, Taiwan has some surprisingly tough defenses that could make it as difficult to tackle as a porcupine: A shoreline dotted with swamps, rocks and concrete barriers; conscription for all adult men; highways and airports that are built to double as hardened combat facilities. This porcupine has a soft underbelly, though, and the war in Iran is exposing it: energy. About 39,000 ships dock at Taiwan’s ports each year, more than the 30,000 that transit the Strait of Hormuz. About one-fifth of their inbound tonnage is coal, oil, refined fuels and liquefied natural gas (LNG),
On Monday, the day before Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) departed on her visit to China, the party released a promotional video titled “Only with peace can we ‘lie flat’” to highlight its desire to have peace across the Taiwan Strait. However, its use of the expression “lie flat” (tang ping, 躺平) drew sarcastic comments, with critics saying it sounded as if the party was “bowing down” to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Amid the controversy over the opposition parties blocking proposed defense budgets, Cheng departed for China after receiving an invitation from the CCP, with a meeting with
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) is leading a delegation to China through Sunday. She is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing tomorrow. That date coincides with the anniversary of the signing of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which marked a cornerstone of Taiwan-US relations. Staging their meeting on this date makes it clear that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intends to challenge the US and demonstrate its “authority” over Taiwan. Since the US severed official diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979, it has relied on the TRA as a legal basis for all
To counter the CCP’s escalating threats, Taiwan must build a national consensus and demonstrate the capability and the will to fight. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) often leans on a seductive mantra to soften its threats, such as “Chinese do not kill Chinese.” The slogan is designed to frame territorial conquest (annexation) as a domestic family matter. A look at the historical ledger reveals a different truth. For the CCP, being labeled “family” has never been a guarantee of safety; it has been the primary prerequisite for state-sanctioned slaughter. From the forced starvation of 150,000 civilians at the Siege of Changchun
RSS