The latest Asia edition of Time magazine is to print an interview with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) — with the cover to feature her photograph — introducing her political background, while portraying her as a confident politician with a sense of humor.
“My purpose in giving the interview was to allow the international community to understand Taiwanese determination to defend values of democracy, and I’m glad that Time chose to make it a cover story and speak so much about the nation’s democratic development,” Tsai said on the sidelines of a campaign event in New Taipei City. “During the interview, I specially reminded the international community to pay attention to recent developments in Taiwan, especially after the Sunflower movement last year. Society now has a different expectation of the future.”
With the headline: “She could lead the only Chinese [sic] democracy,” a Time subheadline is to say: “That could make Beijing nervous.”
Photo: CNA
Tsai said it is a shared responsibility across the Taiwan Strait to maintain peace and stability.
“We want the international community to understand that it is everyone’s shared responsibility to maintain peace and stability,” Tsai said. “We especially stressed the DPP’s determination to maintain cross-strait peace and stability, and we hope everyone will work together to enhance stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait.”
In the interview, Tsai said that she would try to maintain the cross-strait “status quo,” while putting “Taiwan’s economy, development and culture first” in her policy platforms if elected.
She said that her policies would be Taiwan-centric, as opposed to President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) focus on pushing for new trade and tourism pacts with China.
The report said Tsai was “vague” on the independence-unification issue, as it was not made clear whether the DPP would repeal its stance on independence. On the issue of unificaiton, Tsai said: “It is something you have to resolve democratically — it is a decision to be made by the people.”
The interview said Tsai expressed confidence over her election chances.
Emily Rauhala, a Time reporter in Beijing who penned the article, said that Tsai offered her the last piece of tuna while they were at a Taiwanese-Japanese fusion restaurant in Kaohsiung and said: “Go back to Beijing and tell them you were served by the next president of Taiwan.”
“Tsai is quietly confident that she will gain the trust of Taiwan’s voters and secure victory, whatever Beijing might think,” Rauhala said.
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