As the city emerges from the shadow of the attack on Friday last week, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) is set to depart for the Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum, this year taking place in Shanghai, where he might meet with China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Director Song Tao (宋濤). Under the present circumstances, the mayor should fully invest himself in ensuring the security and peace of mind of Taipei residents rather than devote any time to playing up cross-strait relations. Chiang should cancel his trip to Shanghai for the forum.
Taipei is renowned for its safety, and the online travel Web site Travelbag ranked it as the world’s second-safest city for nightlife this year. To process and move past this attack, there are important short-term measures that need to be taken, such as increasing police visibility as a deterrent. Equally, comprehensive institutional reviews and corrective measures are needed if Chiang is to lead Taipei residents out of this traumatic episode and restore faith in the city’s safety.
Ahead is a whole array of complex tasks, including providing compensation to victims, honoring acts of bravery, settling public anxiety and stabilizing social order. Attending the cross-strait forum is not on this list.
If Chiang makes a special trip to Shanghai to listen to Song expound on his views regarding the so-called “1992 consensus,” his prioritization of cross-strait relations over the needs of his city would be abundantly clear.
Taipei City Hall’s New Year’s Eve concert and the Taipei 101 fireworks are to take place in less than 10 days — usually the most crowded and high-traffic time of year for Taipei, which has always been a major test for public safety. Taipei residents, still reeling from last week’s attack, cannot afford complacency.
To ensure nothing goes wrong, the entire city government must be mobilized, remain vigilant and make thorough preparations. Chiang’s three years in office have been steady, but unremarkable, and he has only recently shaken off jibes that he is yet to hold his own politically. Now is his time to prove to Taipei, through concrete actions, that the city shall remain as safe as ever.
Ironically, one of the items on the Shanghai itinerary is to visit Nanjing E Road’s pedestrian street to experience the city’s nighttime economy. Where Chiang’s sights should instead be set is Taipei’s Nanjing W Road shopping district near Zhongshan MRT Station. This is where his attention is needed. If Chiang neglects the latter for the former, Taipei’s residents could ensure that he pays a domestic political price.
Friday’s incident has come as a reminder that public safety is not an abstract or distant issue. In its aftermath, Chiang announced the rollout of educational materials to help people better understand how to respond in a crisis.
Perhaps, the Taipei City Government should first ensure the distribution of National Public Safety Guide handbooks to its residents, as it already includes information and instructions on responding to accidents and emergencies.
Chen Yung-chang is a freelance writer based in Taipei.
Translated by Gilda Knox Streader
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