While the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) are busy arranging a “marriage,” another hot topic concerns an extramarital affair. On Monday evening, a media outlet reported that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chao Tian-lin (趙天麟) and a Chinese woman surnamed Zhang (張) were allegedly involved in an extramarital affair. The reports included photographs of the two kissing and cuddling.
Chao later admitted that the extramarital affair happened years ago and issued a public apology, saying that he would not seek re-election in January’s legislative election.
However, pro-KMT pundits and the blue camp have latched on to the scandal like a dog with a bone. Legislator Ma Wen-chun (馬文君), who has been accused of leaking national security secrets related to the Indigenous Defense Submarine program, asked whether allegations that Chao instructed an aide to apply for his “Chinese girlfriend” to gain entrance to Taiwan under the pretense of cosmetic surgery should be considered a national security issue, while KMT Taoyuan City Councilor Ling Tao (凌濤) called it a classic act of “sexpionage.”
Chao denied he had leaked national secrets and said that he would cooperate with any judicial investigation into national security leaks, while urging Ma to do the same.
Politicians are public figures with social responsibilities. Chao was heedless and indiscreet in enabling another person to take damaging photos of him that could be used for blackmail, not to mention being unguarded against a seductive woman who came from the other side of the Taiwan Strait. As the DPP has always positioned itself as a party whose aim is to safeguard Taiwan and counter China, it is almost ironic that one of its party members was so easily brought low by a Chinese woman.
As the DPP’s rising star and a potential mayor candidate that could take on the mantle of Kaohsiung mayor in the future, Chao has not only set flame to his own political career, but also damaged the party’s image and given independent voters doubts about its stance.
The exposure of Chao’s affair came at a critical time, when the public is rife with the sentiment to take down the DPP after eight years of governance. As a result, a legislative seat is now more crucial than ever. However, Chao’s scandal not only triggered uncertainties in the legislative election, but could deal a blow to the campaign of DPP presidential candidate Vice President William Lai (賴清德).
Further, Chao’s affair has revealed another disturbing mentality that the Taiwanese public have. As cross-strait tension escalates, there are still Taiwanese who think they can take the middle course by not stiffening the sinews to counter China. While these people are used to democracy and freedom, they are not willing to pay the price to defend it. They feel the Chinese threat, yet harbor the hope of China extending the olive branch first. As this ambiguous sentiment takes shape, the public and certain politicians have forgone their sense of responsibility toward the nation and lowered their guards.
The affair has shown that Chinese war and infiltration have already started and are disguised under different forms. To stay true to their party stance, DPP members should not be naive to think that they could clamor “counter China” at one hand, while conducting liaisons with Chinese women on the other.
To own up to his mistake, Chao should reassure the public by offering a detailed explanation of the relationship, so that allegations of undermining national security could be put to rest.
Chao’s scandal has also shown that vacillation and ambiguity has no place in either politics or marriage.
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