On Thursday last week, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) alluded to the fable “The Three Little Pigs,” and invited two presidential candidates — New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and former Taipei mayor and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) — to have a cup of coffee.
Gou said that the three of them should work together and that only through collaboration could they defeat the “Big Bad Wolf,” Vice President William Lai (賴清德), the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate.
Gou is free to compare himself, Ko and Hou with whatever animals he likes, but it is absurd to liken Lai to the big bad wolf. If Gou’s point is that Lai’s support has been consistently higher than the other candidates and that they feel overwhelmed by Lai, then the comparison is understandable. From a perspective of “us versus them,” Gou’s use of the fable is only intended to portray his competitor in a vicious and untrue way.
Today, the only enemy in the world that affects Taiwan’s safety, economic development and diplomatic relations is China. It is China that has been trying to annex and suppress Taiwan. Indeed, the big bad wolf that hurts Taiwan the most is China, and that is a consensus shared by most Taiwanese.
Confronted by such a big bad wolf that bullies not only Taiwan, but also other democratic nation, Gou, Ko and Hou still try to make peace with China. They know that Beijing is ambitious and aggressive, but they dare not call out China for its intrusions into Taiwan. They have never condemned Beijing for damaging cross-strait peace and regional stability.
Gou, Ko and Hou are China’s followers, the big bad wolf’s sidekicks. They are not the three little pigs. Instead, they are the “three little wolves,” taking the side of the evildoer.
Moreover, who would have connected Gou, a businessman with high-handed behavior, with a cute little pig? Nor would anyone compare Ko and Hou with cute animals.
Taiwanese are the real little pigs. The people of Taiwan, the DPP and Lai have been insisting on maintaining Taiwanese autonomy and independence, fighting with all their might to defend the nation’s freedom and democracy. All are on the same side, and all are trying to defeat the big bad wolf encroaching on Taiwan.
Taiwanese should beat up on the foolish little wolves who follow the big bad wolf so that Taiwan can be protected. Only in doing so can Taiwanese keep enjoying the fruits of freedom, democracy and economic prosperity.
Tien Fong-wen
New Taipei City
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