Coattail effect and dynasties
A video posted by Taiwanese influencer Tsai A-ga (蔡阿嘎) early last month shared certain “special” ways in which Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) promoted himself while serving as Hualien County commissioner. The reaction to Fu was divided and depended largely on political leanings.
Fu and his wife, Hualien County Commissioner Hsu Chen-wei (徐榛蔚), have long monopolized control over the Hualien County Government.
It seemed like the couple were the only option in town until Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), now the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) vice presidential candidate, was elected as the legislator representing Hualien County in 2016.
Although there are four candidates running for county legislator in next year’s elections, it is essentially a race between the KMT and the DPP.
When Hsiao returned to Hualien County on Nov. 26 after resigning as representative to the US to establish her vice presidential campaign headquarters, more than 5,000 locals turned out in support, with some holding up banners to show how much they missed her.
Whether Chang Mei-hui (張美慧) — the wife of former Hualien mayor Tien Chih-hsuan (田智宣) and a two-term Hualien County councilor herself — could succeed in being elected as the DPP legislative candidate depends not only on her platform — including the provision of free dentures for people aged 65 and older, the promotion of a Hualien-Taitung Expressway plan — it would also depend on Hsiao’s coattail effect.
Fu has spent part of his time as county commissioner in jail, and only in the final part of his term did he start work on improving traffic in Hualien County.
Fu ran his campaign under the slogans “decisive battle for the Hualien-Taitung Expressway” and “the choice between peace and war,” and was a strong advocate of a “blue-white alliance.” Yet after the proposed blue-white alliance failed, he has not commented.
Both Chang’s and Fu’s platforms mention the Hualien-Taitung Expressway, increasing Taiwan Railways Administration services to Fuli and setting up the Suhua Highway Improvement Project.
Still, Fu has not implemented his platform on Freeway No. 6, but has kept criticizing the efficiency of the Suhua Highway Improvement Project.
By contrast, Chang has focused her attention on follow-up on this year’s Taroko Gorge Marathon incident, questioned Hsu’s double standards on illegal agricultural land use and proposed 28 policies on tourism, transportation, agriculture and the local economy.
Whether the DPP could win Hualien residents’ votes in next month’s legislative elections would have to do with the effectiveness of Hsiao’s support. Do they prefer Chang or Fu’s continuing chaos in office? We shall find out on Jan 13.
Wong Chien-chung,
Hualien County
There are moments in history when America has turned its back on its principles and withdrawn from past commitments in service of higher goals. For example, US-Soviet Cold War competition compelled America to make a range of deals with unsavory and undemocratic figures across Latin America and Africa in service of geostrategic aims. The United States overlooked mass atrocities against the Bengali population in modern-day Bangladesh in the early 1970s in service of its tilt toward Pakistan, a relationship the Nixon administration deemed critical to its larger aims in developing relations with China. Then, of course, America switched diplomatic recognition
The international women’s soccer match between Taiwan and New Zealand at the Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium, scheduled for Tuesday last week, was canceled at the last minute amid safety concerns over poor field conditions raised by the visiting team. The Football Ferns, as New Zealand’s women’s soccer team are known, had arrived in Taiwan one week earlier to prepare and soon raised their concerns. Efforts were made to improve the field, but the replacement patches of grass could not grow fast enough. The Football Ferns canceled the closed-door training match and then days later, the main event against Team Taiwan. The safety
The National Immigration Agency on Tuesday said it had notified some naturalized citizens from China that they still had to renounce their People’s Republic of China (PRC) citizenship. They must provide proof that they have canceled their household registration in China within three months of the receipt of the notice. If they do not, the agency said it would cancel their household registration in Taiwan. Chinese are required to give up their PRC citizenship and household registration to become Republic of China (ROC) nationals, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said. He was referring to Article 9-1 of the Act
The Chinese government on March 29 sent shock waves through the Tibetan Buddhist community by announcing the untimely death of one of its most revered spiritual figures, Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche. His sudden passing in Vietnam raised widespread suspicion and concern among his followers, who demanded an investigation. International human rights organization Human Rights Watch joined their call and urged a thorough investigation into his death, highlighting the potential involvement of the Chinese government. At just 56 years old, Rinpoche was influential not only as a spiritual leader, but also for his steadfast efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan identity and cultural
RSS