DPP

Miaoli Debate Characterized by Partisan Divides

The Miaoli county magistrate debate was held on November 18th, consisting of three rounds. The first round consisted of an opening statement, and the second round consisted of cross-examination between candidates. Though there were five participants in the debate, the following article will focus on the three frontrunners in the race, these being the KMT’s candidate, Hsieh Fu-hung, the DPP candidate, Hsu Ting-chen, and independent candidate Chung Tung-chin...

Few Surprises in 20th National Congress Comments on Taiwan by Xi

Comments by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the start of the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th National Congress highlighted Taiwan as an issue that he intends to address, as part of his political mandate ahead of what is expected to be a third term in office. Xi is expected to be confirmed for an unprecedented third term at the 20th National Congress, with the limit on the number of term limits that a Chinese leader can serve having been undone at the 19th National Congress in 2018. The 20th National Congress began on Sunday and is expected to last for several days...

Taiwan Reopens Borders, Even as COVID Policy Continues to Be Politically Contested

Taiwan is set for reopening, with visa-free entry reinstated for the US, Europe, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia in mid-September. Other countries such as Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines were added in late September. Likewise, quarantines are to be phased out today, October 13th. Instead of three-day quarantines, followed by a four-day self-health management period, there will be a shift towards seven days of self-health management...

Mental Health Used for Political Attacks in Kaohsiung Race, Rather Than Discussed as a Significant Issue

Recent attacks on the DPP mayor of Kaohsiung, Chen Chi-mai, from the KMT’s Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en have hinged around the city’s suicide rate. Ko has pointed to the fact that eight bodies of Kaohsiung residents were found in Kaohsiung’s river in 37 days as a sign of Chen’s poor performance as mayor, insofar as it has affected the mental health of Kaohsiung residents. Ko has otherwise pointed to that there were 4,700 suicides in Kaohsiung in the past ten years, though Kaohsiung’s Health Bureau also responded that suicides were highest in 2019, during Han Kuo-yu’s brief tenure as mayor...