William Lai

DPP Emphasizes Continuity for 2024 Elections at Party Congress on Sunday

Brian Hioe
The DPP held its party congress on Sunday at the Grand Hotel. This took place on the same day as the rally organized by former NPP chair Huang Kuo-chang and streamer Holger Chen on Ketagalan Boulevard. As no representative of the DPP was present at the rally, which all pan-Blue presidential candidates attended, this led to DPP party members being derided by Huang as off enjoying air conditioning while attendees at the rally toiled in the heat. Though the rally framed itself as non-partisan, given that all pan-Blue presidential candidates were present, the rally is largely read as pan-Blue...
EnglishJuly 2023Politics6 min read

Is Hou You-yi Leaning Into Nuclear Advocacy to Pacify the KMT?

Brian Hioe
KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi has begun to lean into advocacy of nuclear power in the course of campaigning at a time of flagging ratings. Hou currently polls worse than former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je, who is the presidential candidate of the TPP and KMT chair Eric Chu has had to fend off rumors that the KMT is considering replacing Hou as its candidate. Hou is calling for restarts of nuclear plants in Shihmen and Guosheng, the highly controversial No. 4 nuclear reactor, and extending the lifespan of the Ma-anshan plant...
EnglishJune 2023Politics5 min read

Nuclear Energy Reemerges as Contentious Issue Ahead of 2024 Elections

Brian Hioe
Although it is not likely to become the key issue to be voted on, seeing as presidential elections traditionally revolve around the issue of cross-strait relations, the issue of nuclear energy will be an important substrate of the Taiwanese presidential elections. It proves unsurprising, then, that the issue of nuclear energy has again come up as a contentious issue–as it has long been in Taiwan, given Taiwan’s nature as an island country...
EnglishJune 2023Politics6 min read

Ahead of Elections, Pan-Blue Candidates Walk Back Pro-China Stances

Brian Hioe
Ahead of elections, one notes that pan-Blue politicians are suddenly changing their tunes on cross-strait relations. This is particularly true with regard to how they articulate Taiwan’s relationship with the US. Such moves take place, however, at a time in which the pan-Blue camp’s cross-strait policy has been overshadowed by former president Ma Ying-jeou’s historic trip to China, as the first former Taiwanese leader to visit China in 70 years, in a similar timeframe to stopovers in the US by current president Tsai Ing-wen in which she met with US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy...
April 2023EnglishPolitics8 min read

Cabinet Spokesperson Scandal Potentially Affects Future DPP Outlook

Brian Hioe
Cabinet spokesperson Chen Tsung-yen has resigned after reports that he traded his political influence for sexual favors during his time as head of the Tainan City Bureau of Civil Affairs. Chen had only held his post as cabinet spokesperson for 18 days, as a result of which he has been termed the shortest cabinet spokesperson in history. Despite resigning, Chen has denied wrongdoing. Chen’s resignation has since been approved by Premier Chen Chien-jen...
EnglishFebruary 2023Politics5 min read

China May Be Seeking to Drive the Public into the KMT’s Arms Through Military Intimidation

Brian Hioe
A political spat between high-ranking KMT and DPP politicians broke out last month after comments by former president Ma Ying-jeou of the KMT regarding Taiwan’s national defense. According to Ma, in the event of a Chinese invasion, Taiwan’s military would not last for more than several days, as a result of which the “first battle would be the last battle.” Consequently, Ma referred to current president Tsai Ing-wen’s cross-strait policy as overly provocative of China, as having brought Taiwan to “the brink of war”...
EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20207 min read