Imagine you receive a last-minute request from the president to take over as premier and quickly decide the composition of a new Cabinet. What would you do first? A new premier is going to be bombarded with countless tasks. He or she needs to meet prospective Cabinet members, finalize a Cabinet line-up, work out the Cabinet’s priorities and draw up a policy blueprint for the new administration.
So it was a bit surprising that the first thing Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) did after being asked to be premier was make a quick trip to Hong Kong.
Wu said that he had been invited to meet civil engineering experts and inspect Hong Kong’s landslide prevention and warning systems. President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said he had known about Wu’s trip beforehand and that it was he who had suggested that Wu talk with members of the territory’s Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD).
But Wu chose to travel to Hong Kong on Sept. 5, a Saturday when public departments are closed. The timing would seem to be odd for a visit to the CEDD.
Hong Kong’s landslide prevention schemes may well be advanced, but surely Taiwan’s representative office in the territory could have obtained relevant documents and materials. The Ministry of the Interior could also have sent its engineers — who would have presumably been better qualified to inspect the systems. Was it really necessary for the premier-designate to go to himself?
What about Japan? It developed world-class techniques to try to prevent landslides after disasters similar to those that befell Hong Kong in the 1970s. Why wasn’t a trip to Japan to consult with experts suggested?
Wu’s Hong Kong trip remains a puzzle, and members of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have voiced reasonable suspicions about hidden motives. Could it be that Wu, having been invited by Ma to become premier, went to Hong Kong to report to the Chinese leadership and get their approval? It is worth noting that after Wu’s trip, China’s official media said that his appointment would be good for cross-strait relations.
Although Wu and the Presidential Office have sought to allay suspicions, doubts remain. The Constitution doesn’t require the president to obtain legislative approval of his choice of premier. If the premier-designate doesn’t need the approval of elected representatives in Taiwan but has to go for an interview in Hong Kong to receive China’s blessing, then Taiwan’s sovereignty and independence have really dwindled to nothing more than what Hong Kong and Macau now have.
This is a serious accusation, and has the making of a major political storm that could impact not just the development of cross-strait relations but domestic politics and national sovereignty. The Presidential Office, the Cabinet and the DPP are all duty bound to take the issue seriously.
Even though the legislature doesn’t have the power to veto the choice of premier, when the new legislative session starts on Friday, lawmakers should call on the new premier to clear the air by giving a complete account of his itinerary in Hong Kong and whom he met. If Wu is found to be hiding something, or the DPP’s suspicions are proven to be true, it will mean that neither the premier nor the president are fit to remain in their posts.
As strategic tensions escalate across the vast Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan has emerged as more than a potential flashpoint. It is the fulcrum upon which the credibility of the evolving American-led strategy of integrated deterrence now rests. How the US and regional powers like Japan respond to Taiwan’s defense, and how credible the deterrent against Chinese aggression proves to be, will profoundly shape the Indo-Pacific security architecture for years to come. A successful defense of Taiwan through strengthened deterrence in the Indo-Pacific would enhance the credibility of the US-led alliance system and underpin America’s global preeminence, while a failure of integrated deterrence would
It is being said every second day: The ongoing recall campaign in Taiwan — where citizens are trying to collect enough signatures to trigger re-elections for a number of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators — is orchestrated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), or even President William Lai (賴清德) himself. The KMT makes the claim, and foreign media and analysts repeat it. However, they never show any proof — because there is not any. It is alarming how easily academics, journalists and experts toss around claims that amount to accusing a democratic government of conspiracy — without a shred of evidence. These
Taiwan is confronting escalating threats from its behemoth neighbor. Last month, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army conducted live-fire drills in the East China Sea, practicing blockades and precision strikes on simulated targets, while its escalating cyberattacks targeting government, financial and telecommunication systems threaten to disrupt Taiwan’s digital infrastructure. The mounting geopolitical pressure underscores Taiwan’s need to strengthen its defense capabilities to deter possible aggression and improve civilian preparedness. The consequences of inadequate preparation have been made all too clear by the tragic situation in Ukraine. Taiwan can build on its successful COVID-19 response, marked by effective planning and execution, to enhance
Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has upheld the core goals of “making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” fully implementing an “America first” policy. Countries have responded cautiously to the fresh style and rapid pace of the new Trump administration. The US has prioritized reindustrialization, building a stronger US role in the Indo-Pacific, and countering China’s malicious influence. This has created a high degree of alignment between the interests of Taiwan and the US in security, economics, technology and other spheres. Taiwan must properly understand the Trump administration’s intentions and coordinate, connect and correspond with US strategic goals.
RSS