DPP

The Formosa Alliance’s Attempts to Prove That Tsai’s Dissertation Is Fake Reveal Its Vacuous Politics

Brian Hioe
The Formosa Alliance's attempt to prove that Tsai Ing-wen’s dissertation is fake proves another strange turn for the recently formed pro-independence political party. In general, the Formosa Alliance is proving to be a party which seems to have no real political stance apart from hardline Taiwanese independence advocacy and hatred of Tsai Ing-wen...
EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20195 min read

Challenges Remain to Uncovering the Truth Behind White Terror Incidents

Brian Hioe
The long path for transitional justice to be achieved in Taiwan is evident in the challenges faced by efforts to bring the truth of major incidents during the White Terror to light. President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to do so in July through declassifying the files of the National Security Bureau and other institutions of the ROC state that carried out political persecutions on behalf of the KMT during the authoritarian period...
August 2019EnglishPolitics6 min read

In Midst of the NPP’s Continuing Internal Crisis, Sabrina Lim Announces Run for Party Chair

Brian Hioe
Huang Kuo-chang, one of the NPP's two remaining legislators and the party’s former chair, suggested earlier this week that he will not run for reelection as legislator, a move that has led to criticisms with the view that this would lose another legislative seat for the NPP. With it becoming increasingly clear that younger members of the party—who are primarily city councilors and in their 20s and early 30s—will have to take over the party leadership if it is to survive, Taipei city councilor Sabrina Lim announced her plans to run for party chair earlier today...
August 2019EnglishSelf-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements11 min read

Freddy Lim’s Departure Pushes NPP Toward Cooperation with the DPP

Brian Hioe
Freddy Lim announcing his withdrawal from the New Power Party over the party’s failure to adopt a clear policy regarding whether to cooperate with the DPP in next year’s presidential and legislative elections seems to have been surprisingly successful as a political strategy. Lim was able to successfully force the NPP into at least publicly claiming that it will endorse Tsai Ing-wen for reelection in 2020 elections next year...
August 2019EnglishPolitics8 min read

The NPP Faces Crisis After Major Controversies, Unexpected Departure of Freddy Lim

Brian Hioe
The NPP saw two major controversies erupt in the past week, not only regarding a conflict of interest scandal regarding legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal that led to her being stripped of her position as a legislator, but also questions about the political orientation of the party vis-a-vis the DPP going into 2020 elections. Subsequently, with little warning, NPP legislator and party heavyweight Freddy Lim announced earlier today that he would be withdrawing from the NPP and running in Taipei’s Zhongzheng-Wanhua district as an independent...
August 2019EnglishPolitics22 min read

Han Kuo-yu Confirmed as the KMT’s Presidential Candidate, But Fractures Remain Visible in the Party

Brian Hioe
Han Kuo-yu was confirmed as the KMT’s presidential candidate on Sunday at the party’s National Congress, although an unusual development was the simultaneous announcement that a KMT president would not simultaneously serve as the chair of the party going forward. Indeed, this seems to be a sign of continued fractures within the party...
EnglishJuly 2019Politics6 min read