As the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) former chairman, Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), becomes the premier and DPP Legislator Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) the vice premier, the Su-Tsai ticket for the 2008 presidential election has basically been set.
Although President Chen Shui-bian (
New Cabinet members have been appointed -- starting with the finance and economics ministers. This is an indication of the priorities of Su's new Cabinet. The prompt appointment of these two ministers highlights their significance, not to mention that the direction of cross-strait relations is involved.
What we really care about is whether Chen's policy of "active management, effective opening" can be truly implemented. This will be a test for Su, as well as Chen and his party.
Many of the new Cabinet members are Chen's intimates. This is hardly a surprise. He has served as head of state for almost six years and concurrently for a period of time as DPP chairman. All political appointees are considered his intimates more or less.
Besides, viewed from Taiwan's constitutional system, it is impossible for him to be a president in name only, or take a do-nothing attitude after his appointment of the premier.
Many of the former Cabinet members have gotten new posts. Former minister of the interior Su Jia-chyuan (
This shows the inseparability between the Presidential Office and the Executive Yuan.
Moreover, this is Su's first time heading the central government. Hs only previous administrative posts were as commissioner of Pingtung and Taipei counties. Chen will certainly be Su's most important guide in his new position.
Building a strong record of administrative achievements is a must as the DPP faces three important elections over the next two years. Under such circumstances, it would be difficult for Chen and Su not to team up.
DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun has made his own arrangements -- appointing Lin Chia-lung (
This also marks the appearance of the party's "second echelon," as it is appointing those from the relatively new generation to strengthen itself internally, so as to consolidate a sustainable regime. If the party is strong, then the administration is strong, and vice versa.
The DPP's greatest challenge is surely the 2008 presidential election.
The challenge is related to the continuance of Taiwan's democratization and localization, and the question of whether self-awareness can defeat unification -- the ultimate goal of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
The 2008 election will decide Taiwan's fate. For the Taiwanese people, who is elected president is not so important. What matters is that Taiwan win. Those who sing the demise of the country and criticize the government are all public enemies.
Chin Heng-wei is the editor-in-chief of Contemporary Monthly magazine.
Translated by Eddy Chang
Two weeks ago, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) raised hackles in Taiwan by posting to her 2.6 million Instagram followers that she was visiting “Taipei, China.” Yeoh’s post continues a long-standing trend of Chinese propaganda that spreads disinformation about Taiwan’s political status and geography, aimed at deceiving the world into supporting its illegitimate claims to Taiwan, which is not and has never been part of China. Taiwan must respond to this blatant act of cognitive warfare. Failure to respond merely cedes ground to China to continue its efforts to conquer Taiwan in the global consciousness to justify an invasion. Taiwan’s government
This month’s news that Taiwan ranks as Asia’s happiest place according to this year’s World Happiness Report deserves both celebration and reflection. Moving up from 31st to 27th globally and surpassing Singapore as Asia’s happiness leader is gratifying, but the true significance lies deeper than these statistics. As a society at the crossroads of Eastern tradition and Western influence, Taiwan embodies a distinctive approach to happiness worth examining more closely. The report highlights Taiwan’s exceptional habit of sharing meals — 10.1 shared meals out of 14 weekly opportunities, ranking eighth globally. This practice is not merely about food, but represents something more
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of