New way forward for KMT?
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) was elected party chairman on Saturday last week. In the past, Chinese presidents — in their capacity as chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) — would send a congratulatory telegram to a newly elected KMT counterpart. Not this time.
Chiang simply said that whether he received a congratulatory telegram from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) would not affect his push for reform, and that his election could add some new ideas not only to Taiwanese society, but also to the Chinese side.
Chiang should continue in this spirit to completely discard the KMT’s “pro-China” label, and to resolve the boycott by the party’s cross-strait “comprador” faction.
If he succeeds in doing this, given the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) burden of incumbency, the human nature of liking the new, and the possibility of a “pendulum effect,” it would not be impossible for the KMT to regain power in the 2024 presidential election.
Xi’s decision to not send a congratulatory telegram actually allows the KMT chairman to enjoy greater mainstream support, and thus greater room to maneuver.
The policy presentation of the KMT chairmanship by-election is still fresh in people’s minds: Chiang argued that the so-called “1992 consensus” is “a bit outdated,” and that young people do not necessarily recognize the consensus.
He then proposed that the KMT respect Taiwan’s democracy, and try to obtain the public’s authorization before making any adjustment to cross-strait relations. Well said.
The “1992 consensus” has never included “each side having its own interpretation,” something Xi made clear at the beginning of the year. Fortunately the KMT membership elected Chiang as their new chairman, who spoke his mind frankly and without making any “unwise” remarks after being elected.
This is different from the party’s older generation who always curry favor and seek rewards from Beijing, deceiving themselves by upholding the idea of “one China, with each side having its own interpretation” in hopes of scoring political gains.
They are no longer able to fool the public and should step down.
Liu Fu-hua
Taoyuan
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