Brian Hioeby Brian Hioe
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Photo Credit: Wang Yu Ching/Office of the President/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
IN HIS NEW YEAR’S ADDRESS, President Lai Ching-te touted Taiwan’s accomplishments on the international stage, such as the Olympics victories in badminton by Wang Chi-lin and Lee Yang, as well as in boxing by Lin Yu-ting. Lai also brought up Yang Shuang-zi’s Taiwan Travelogue winning best work in translation at the United States National Book Award, as translated by King Lin. Likewise, Lai touted Taiwan’s economic growth, including in high-tech industries, and increases in wages.
To this extent, Lai framed Taiwan’s contemporary accomplishments as born out of the struggle for democracy. Lai brought up Taiwan’s history of authoritarianism and stated that while domestic political competition can and should occur, it should not occur in a manner that undermines the system of checks and balances enshrined in the constitution. In this sense, Lai emphasized adherence to the constitution, and stated that Taiwan must “consolidate democracy with democracy”.
This was Lai’s response to the KMT’s current efforts to change the division of government powers, using its current narrow majority in the legislature. Such changes are aimed at stripping away powers that normally belong to the judiciary and executive branches of government and shifting them to the legislature, as well as at freezing the Constitutional Court to prevent it from making rulings that could potentially block moves by the KMT. Lai’s reference to Taiwan’s past authoritarianism was because the KMT has drawn parallels between the DPP’s efforts to stop these changes and South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol’s abortive efforts to declare martial law in South Korea.
Lai was not as combative as he was during his inauguration address, during which he directly referenced the outbreak of the Bluebird Movement protests. But Lai’s comment about “consolidat[ing] democracy with democracy” was probably to clarify previous comments about countering the KMT’s actions with “greater democracy,” a statement that was read as implying that Lai would seek a national referendum on the issue.
Many of Lai’s other comments in his speech reiterated past campaign promises. Lai stated that he would seek to address long-standing issues regarding low wages and unaffordable housing, as well as taking care of the elderly at a time when Taiwan is on the precipice of becoming a “Super-Aged” society. Lai touted increases in the minimum wage, tax exemptions, efforts to build social housing, and Taiwan’s new carbon fee system. Lai further touted his cultural policy, including the establishment of a new Sports Ministry, and the expansion of the Culture Point system intended to make cultural activities more accessible for young people.
Photo credit: Liu Shu Fu/Office of the President/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Much attention has gone to Lai’s reiterating of his commitment to dialogue with China. Though this was not a point of emphasis during the speech itself, during the Q-and-A session that followed his speech, Lai stated that he hoped to see a lifting of restrictions on Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan.
Lai pinned the blame as to why restrictions on Chinese tourism have not been lifted on the Chinese government, touting that the number of Taiwanese who have visited China during the same time is not reciprocal when it comes to Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan. Specifically, Lai criticized the Chinese government for only lifting restrictions on tourism to Kinmen and Matsu, as well as possibly for residents of Shanghai.
As such, Lai called for dialogue between the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association and the Association for Tourism Exchange across the Taiwan Straits. This proves reminiscent of how Lai has called for dialogue between Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation and China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits in order to get both Taiwan and China to the table in smoothing out cross-strait relations.
Otherwise, one notes gestures toward cultural pluralism continued in the ceremonies for New Year’s. Indonesian migrant worker heavy metal band Jubah Hitam played as part of the New Year’s ceremonies.
It is to be seen if China takes up Lai’s offers at dialogue. More than likely, China will continue to stonewall the Lai administration, framing Lai as a pro-independence provocateur in spite of the fact that his speech indicates an openness to dialogue.