With the upcoming presidential election in March, the DPP is cultivating its international image as a party-in-waiting to take over from the KMT in the coming century.
During the party's annual reception for Taiwan's diplomatic corps yesterday, DPP chairman Lin I-hsiung (
"A peaceful transition of power from one party to another is an essential element of successful democratization," Lin said.
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
"We believe that the alternation of power to end the long-term monopoly of the KMT is essential for the stability of Taiwan's democratic system," he added.
The DPP has been the symbol of Taiwan's democratization and opposition against the KMT's one-party rule.
Most of the DPP's leaders were political dissidents jailed as a result of the Kaohsiung Incident and the party was not officially recognized until 1986.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Chien-jen (程建?H) was in attendance, marking the first time a foreign minister has attended the reception since its debut six years ago.
"I cannot agree or endorse what chairman Lin said," Chen joked.
"This function demonstrates how free Taiwan has become. I cannot imagine this kind of scenario 15 years ago," he said.
The ambassador from El Salvador, Francisco Ricardo Santana Berrios, previously posted here between 1985-1991, applauded Taiwan's democratic progress.
"Things are different now than when I was here before. There was no such activity back then. I am very impressed with Taiwan's democratic process," Santana said.
Other foreign representatives lauded the political pluralism in Taiwan and said they would consider attending other such events.
"If the New Party issued an invitation to a similar function, I would consider attending," said Cornelius Scholtz, the South African representative.
According to Hsiao Bi-khim (
"We want the foreign representatives to know what the DPP's position is on foreign relations," Hsiao said.
"The media is too focused on how many diplomatic allies Taiwan has. There are other aspects to foreign affairs -- economic considerations, trade and NGOs," she said.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
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