The recent budget review in the legislature and the ruling party’s push for recall campaigns have become focal points of political debate. Budget reviews are a normal process in a democratic system, ensuring that government spending is justified and properly allocated.
However, instead of responding to legitimate concerns about budget usage, the ruling party has chosen to frame oversight as political obstruction. Worse yet, it has launched large-scale recall campaigns as a form of political retaliation. Such actions not only deepen societal divisions, but also risk undermining the normal functioning of Taiwan’s democratic system.
The core spirit of democracy lies in checks and balances, as well as government accountability — not in suppressing dissent through political maneuvers. The government had proposed a record-breaking budget of NT$3.1325 trillion (US$95.46 billion), and it must be subject to rigorous legislative scrutiny to ensure that every dollar is spent effectively on improving the lives of the people.
However, the ruling party has painted budget oversight and spending cuts as deliberate obstruction, even spreading misinformation domestically and internationally. This does nothing to enhance transparency; instead, it casts a shadow over Taiwan’s democratic institutions. Rather than engaging in political infighting, the people care more about whether the government can drive economic growth, alleviate financial burdens, and guide Taiwan toward a stable and prosperous future.
By advancing key legislative initiatives to improve economic conditions, ensuring stable energy supply and establishing a comprehensive social welfare system, we can truly achieve the goal of building up Taiwan.
To build a truly strong Taiwan, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus has introduced a series of critical bills, including amendments to the Electricity Act (電業法) and the Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act (核子反應器設施管制法), a draft long-term care insurance bill and a plan to distribute NT$10,000 to each taxpayer.
Energy policy is crucial to Taiwan’s industrial competitiveness and social stability. As the world moves toward carbon reduction, ensuring a stable energy supply while balancing economic and environmental needs is a challenge the government must address. However, the administration’s inconsistent energy policies have led to continued instability in domestic power supply, rising industrial electricity costs and declining foreign investor confidence. The proposed amendments to the Electricity Act aim to clarify the energy supply mechanism and establish a sustainable energy policy for Taiwan’s future.
As Taiwan transitions into an aging society, long-term care will become an increasingly important public policy issue. The current allocation of long-term care resources is uneven, placing a heavy financial burden on many families. The draft long-term care insurance bill seeks to establish a structured financial plan to ensure fair distribution of resources and guarantee proper care for the elderly in need.
If the ruling party continues to prioritize political mobilization over addressing people’s needs, it will only weaken Taiwan’s democratic institutions and trap the nation in endless internal conflict. Taiwan’s democracy has been hard-won through decades of struggle and we must cherish it. Instead of engaging in political battles, we should focus on policy competition and meaningful reform. We must approach national development challenges with a rational and pragmatic mindset, abandoning political maneuvering in favor of real solutions that serve the people.
Chance Hsu is the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) assistant director of international affairs.
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