Democracy will prevail
Soon after Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) took over as mayor of Taipei, he was challenged to review numerous build-operate-tranfer projects left by former Taipei mayors Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
The Taipei Dome project has been unanimously reported as a scandal over its effect on the surrounding environment, traffic, transportation connections, commercialization of athletics and concerns of public safety, including emergency exits being blocked by commercial facilities.
The MeHAS City project was questioned after the land value was intentionally underestimated in 2006 to benefit builder Radium Life Tech Co, which built the housing complex near MRT Xiaobitan Station. The Taipei City Government was paid less than 20 percent of the land’s value and lost about NT$10 billion (US$318.5 million).
The Twin Stars project proved to be a scandal for former KMT Taipei city councilor Lai Su-ju (賴素如), who received NT$15 million in bribes to favor a consortium led by Taipei Gateway International Development Co.
The management of the Taipei New Horizon project in Songshan Cultural and Creative Park was accused of turning a tower meant to promote cultural and creative industries into a corporate headquarters.
The Syntrend Creative Park project was in the spotlight over rent and the possibility that it could siphon business from the neighboring Guanghua Digital Plaza.
The Three Year Life Park project was questioned over reports that the Foxconn Group spent only NT$1 billion, but got a 50-year tenancy deal by taking advantage of a land-cost estimate that was well below market value.
Former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) criticized Ko for launching a “Cultural Revolution” targeting Hau and Ma.
Ko has become famous for his straightforward remarks, including one made after he received a watch from British Minister of State for Transport Susan Kramer. He accepted it, but said to reporters: “I can just give it to someone else or take it to a scrap metal dealer and sell it for cash.”
Who is to be blamed? Unfortunately, it would be Kramer, because she did not know watches as gifts can mean “go to hell” or seen as a final farewell in Chinese culture.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), who rose to power in 2013, has also taken action to crack down on corruption. Former Chinese Communist Party Chongqing secretary Bo Xilai (薄熙來), former head of domestic security Zhou Yongkang (周永康) and Ling Jihua (令計劃), once a top aide to former Chinese president Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), were all knocked down one after the other. Almost every high-ranking Chinese official has met with trouble.
Now, Xi holds the executive, legislative, judicial and military power of China in his hands. Is there anyone who can say no to him? Where are the checks in China’s system? Is China ruled by one man or by law? Will Xi be the one who brings China into the democratic age, or the one to build a dictatorship?
Some predict that Xi will follow former president Chiang Ching-kuo’s (蔣經國) lead and lift bans on political parties and ease restrictions on the media to democratize China.
It looks like Ko and Xi are heroes. Are they identical twins, or totally different?
On Thursday last week, the Foreign Policy Web site published an interview with Ko in which he said people should talk about “two countries, one system,” while Xi insists on “one country, two systems.”
Therefore, Ko and Xi are very different. Even in the electronic era, communication between the two systems is difficult. However, one thing is certain: the universal value of democracy will prevail.
John Hsieh
Hayward, California
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