Ma campaigns on being a man of the peopleLiberty Times: What are your views about the state of the mayoral election campaign?
Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九): I have never dared to be complacent about the year-end elections. Even if my ratings in the polls are relatively high now, many changes could still take place in the almost two months remaining. I believe my opponent will do everything in his power to boost his offensive. He will mobilize all the forces at his disposal, including past and present heavyweights from government offices, government branches and the party to make appearances on his behalf. I am fully prepared to deal with these contingencies. I am confident that I will continue for another term in office. But this will be a trying process.
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
LT: Lee Ying-yuan (
Ma: It would be difficult for me to find anyone of former president Lee Teng-hui's (
I believe the people of Taipei are looking at the candidates and won't focus on who gets up on stage to promote them.
LT: What is your campaign strategy?
Ma: My campaign strategy is very simple. I'm asking what the people of Taipei really want. The sluggish economy and rising unemployment have already put a lot of pressure on people. Although the unemployment rate in Taipei is the second lowest in Taiwan, there are still over 10,000 people out of work in the city. There are three primary reasons for this state of affairs: human factors that have caused economic stagnation, policies that have created difficulties for people and a series of natural disasters in Taipei City.
Taiwan is now facing its slowest rate of economic development, highest rate of unemployment and highest misery index in history. How to extricate Taiwan from these economic difficulties will be the greatest policy test in the upcoming presidential election in a year and a half.
Taiwan needs talented leaders, not talented campaigners. Otherwise, what use is it if someone gets elected but people's lives are still unsatisfactory? The central government can't place all the responsibility for the sluggish economy on the global economic environment, ignoring the fact that the actions of those in government have also been a factor.
For example, former premier Chang Chun-hsiung's (張俊雄) very "bold" announcement that the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant would be scrapped cost Taiwan NT$30 billion to NT$40 billion in damages. Do we really want that kind of boldness in our leaders? So-called "petty politicians" act with the next election foremost in their minds. Statesmen work for the well-being of the next generation. The important thing now is to do some hard thinking about what policies will extricate Taiwan from its economic difficulties.
The second factor behind our troubles is that policies have created difficulties for people. For example, the diversified high school enrollment scheme and education-reform policies have created endless headaches for parents. Rather than wasting energy by debating certain problems that are totally beside the point, we would be better off concerning ourselves with how to stabilize the situation and getting through this difficult time together with the people of Taipei. My strategy is that regardless of how my campaign is going, there can be no compromise in this area. The quality of life for residents of Taipei must not decline. Putting such considerations aside for the sake of campaigning is not my style, and it's not what people want to see in a mayor either. I have never set out to downplay or to play up the election question, but I always keep in mind that a mayor should respond to the will of the people.
LT: As the mayor of the capital city, what can you do in relation to the policies of the central government?
Ma: The people of Taipei don't wish to see political wrangling and struggles. They just want to see problems resolved as quickly as possible. Taipei City has done a lot in this regard. For instance, the city's economic stimulus plan is the most thorough of any city or county government. My strategy in response to unemployment is to stimulate the economy and reduce people's chances of becoming unemployed; it isn't just limited to unemployment relief and unemployment insurance. Taipei City has done what it can. Now we have to see how the central government will improve the situation.
LT: Are you worried that the ethnicity issue is brewing in this campaign? How will you respond?
Ma: I am a bit worried, but I think this election will be better than the last. In the campaign four years ago, although I was a bona fide denizen of Taipei, I hadn't previously had much contact with the public. So a lot of people didn't understand me. While campaigning, I often encountered people who were hostile to me. They would say to my face that I was Chinese and they were Taiwanese. They adamantly refused to shake my hand and even stomped on my campaign literature.
But in the past three years many people have sensed my sincerity. I advocate ethnic harmony and have pushed for primary school students to study three native languages in order to lessen the distance between people. I freely admit that I am a second generation mainlander, but I emphasize that I am a first generation "new Taiwanese." For four years in a row, I have also participated in the commemorative activities for the 228 Incident, holding frank talks with the relatives of victims and trying to console them on a spiritual level. I believe that the relatives can feel my sincerity.
LT: How do you believe exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should develop?
Ma: Actually, exchanges between cities on each side of the Taiwan Strait are just a chance to learn from one another. In my next term, I will lay out plans and push for Taipei's Sungshan Airport to become a service point for direct air links with China. That would greatly improve our competitiveness.
The second step is to push for allowing people from the mainland to come to Taiwan as tourists. Statistics show that two years ago South Korea received 600,000 tourists from China and the Executive Yuan is only planning for 1,000 people a day. Just 360,000 visitors a year is too conservative. The figure should be increased.
Third is to allow talented people from China to develop in Taiwan, thereby bringing in capital from China to help Taiwan. In this way, if in the future China wants to take the extreme action of attacking Taiwan militarily, there will be some misgivings. While China rapidly develops as the world's manufacturing ground, Taiwan can't just sit on the sidelines. We should naturally combine forces and benefit together.
LT: On the third anniversary of your inauguration, you reviewed and attempted to overhaul many of the city government's administrative practices. Are conditions better a year later?
Ma: I don't dare claim there are no shortcomings, but many improvements have indeed been made. So when my opponent criticizes our administration, we are very humble. In the past, I was very dissatisfied with public-works projects, but recently there has been a turn for the better. For example, the Chou-mei highway was completed in November, and the Ketagalan Hall and the Health Center in the Chungshan district will both be completed on schedule. The Bureau of Public Works has done a great job of turning over a new leaf, and the Bureau of Business Management's projects on hillsides are the same.
I admit that Typhoon Nari was the greatest setback of my three-plus years in office, but we got back on our feet very quickly after this failure. And the people of Taipei have looked leniently on the overall response of the city government. Some people say, "Be careful because Nari is your Achilles heel." But I believe it will only be my Achilles heel if I make the same mistake again.
TRANSLATED BY ETHAN HARKNESS
LOW RISK: Most nations do not extradite people accused of political crimes, and the UN says extradition can only happen if the act is a crime in both countries, an official said China yesterday issued wanted notices for two Taiwanese influencers, accusing them of committing “separatist acts” by criticizing Beijing, amid broadening concerns over China’s state-directed transnational repression. The Quanzhou Public Security Bureau in a notice posted online said police are offering a reward of up to 25,000 yuan (US$3,523) for information that could contribute to the investigation or apprehension of pro-Taiwanese independence YouTuber Wen Tzu-yu (溫子渝),who is known as Pa Chiung (八炯) online, and rapper Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源). Wen and Chen are suspected of spreading content that supported secession from China, slandered Chinese policies that benefit Taiwanese and discrimination against Chinese spouses of
PROMOTION: Travelers who want a free stopover must book their flights with designated travel agents, such as Lion Travel, Holiday Tours, Cola Tour and Life Tours Air Canada yesterday said it is offering Taiwanese travelers who are headed to North America free stopovers if they transit though airports in Japan and South Korea. The promotion was launched in response to a potential rise in demand for flights to North America in June and July next year, when the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to jointly host the FIFA World Cup, Air Canada said. Air Canada offers services to 13 of the 16 host cities of the tournament’s soccer games, including Toronto and Vancouver; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Dallas; Houston;
The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million, the Pentagon said late yesterday, marking the first such potential transaction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130," and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office. The announcement of the possible arms
The Tainan District Court has found a teenager guilty of posting a sexually explicit video of his girlfriend on social media without consent. The court ruled his parents were legally responsible for the boy’s actions, and ordered NT$500,000 (US$16,051) to be paid in compensation to the victim. The incident took place in December last year, when the boy and his girlfriend, both under 18 and legally minors at the time of the incident, were in a relationship. The boy asked her to send him explicit videos, according to a court filing. A month later, he posted the video on social media, with its visibility
RSS