Former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday unveiled his campaign platform for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairmanship election in May, focusing on three key areas — a feasible China policy, party reform and central government reform.
“I believe that the ‘two constitutions, different interpretations’ (憲法各表) initiative I’ve been advocating for more than three years is a feasible China policy that should help the party cross ‘the last mile’ and return to power [in 2016],” Hsieh said during a meeting with reporters.
While the initiative has not yet been well-received in the party, Hsieh said he welcomed the challenge from anyone who can beat his proposal and satisfy the “three ultimate requirements for the DPP’s China policy” — that it be accepted by Taiwanese, supported by Washington and viewed tolerable by Beijing.
“The US’ view is actually more important than how China feels about it,” he said, citing as an example the US Department of State’s interference with former DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) campaign, which observers said eventually cost Tsai a victory in the 2012 election.
The DPP cannot afford to be marginalized in cross-strait engagement, which has been dominated by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), he said.
“We have to actively seek to play a role and participate in the engagement with confidence,” he said.
Hsieh declined to directly comment on his potential rivals in what many believe would be a three-way race with Tsai and DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), and categorically denied that he and Tsai had been considering an alliance against Su.
However, Hsieh hinted that Tsai may be better off focusing on another run at the presidency in 2016.
Being a party chairman “is dirty work” and Tsai “might as well let me handle it,” he said.
With regards to party affairs, Hsieh said he has been particularly concerned about the DPP losing touch with its supporters and the public, which is why people “have pretty much decided to abandon the DPP.”
Hsieh proposed to reconnect the party with the people by introducing deliberative democracy, focusing on deliberation and discussion of public policy and political affairs with constituents and party members, and eliminating traditional grassroots organization practices that mainly consist of politicians appearing at wedding ceremonies and funerals.
On reforming the central government, Hsieh said it is imperative to do so because responsible politics has been sorely lacking in recent years, with very few government officials being held accountable for ill-advised and incorrect policies or poorly executed administrative orders.
“With these measures, hopefully the DPP can live up to its name by being a progressive party that always takes the interests of the Taiwanese public as its No. 1 priority,” Hsieh said.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS