A majority of the public supports the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s cross-strait policy, party officials told a forum in Taipei yesterday, adding that the nation’s security had been undermined under the previous Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government.
“The main reason behind the instability in Taiwan’s national security can be traced back to former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) eight years in office. Ma’s policies permitted China to infiltrate every sector of Taiwanese society,” DPP China Affairs Department head Wu Jun-zhi (吳峻鋕) said.
“That led to a weakening of Taiwan’s political institutions and its vitality, along with over-reliance on China for economic growth. As the society was permeated by Chinese infiltration and influence, it impaired national defense and undermined the military’s resolve to defend the country,” he added.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
“When the DPP took over the government [in 2016], the nation was facing very severe conditions,” said Wu, whose office organized the first of four planned forums on the theme of “Strengthen Taiwan, the country will be safe.”
Institute for National Policy Research executive director Kuo Yu-jen (郭育仁) said that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) had a very tough job in working to rectify Ma’s policies, as she faced four major challenges: suspension of national defense development, cessation of diplomatic and international initiatives, highly asymmetric cross-strait relations and a high level of dependence on China for economic growth.
“The DPP government has done a very good job in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. But as an island nation, we should restore international trade with other countries and regions, once vaccines become available around the world,” Kuo said.
When vaccines come online, global economic and political developments will move much faster, he added.
“After signing the RCEP [Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership] last month, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) immediately visited Tokyo. It was China’s tactic to use this free trade body to isolate Taiwan in global trade,” he said.
“This is a severe test for Taiwan, and we must let the US and other trading partners know China’s aims, that talks on economic links is just a facade, as China’s main political aim is to isolate Taiwan,” Kuo said.
Taipei Medical University professor Chang Kuo-cheng (張國城) cited Beijing’s strong-arm tactics to control the COVID-19 outbreak and then signed on to RCEP.
“It is clear that China will continue to expand its influence; therefore, Taiwan must strengthen its national defense, rather than placing its hope on the US coming to our aid when conflict breaks out. It is to our advantage to collaborate with the US and other countries to bolster our forces and enhance our military capability,” he said.
“Taiwanese must strengthen their minds. China has targeted Taiwan to wage a propaganda war and disinformation campaign to manipulate public opinion, working to sabotage improving Taiwan-US ties, to sow mistrust in society, while touting that China is a big powerful nation,” he said.
“We must keep a close check on this situation while promoting closer ties with the US,” he added.
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