President Tsai Has Again Taken Out the Taiwan Independence Prop from Her Toolbox

  President Tsai Has Again Taken Out the Taiwan Independence Prop from Her Toolbox

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

October 18, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

"The Formosa Alliance" of the Taiwan independence faction this weekend will sponsor a march for the "plebiscite proposal for changing the name of the country and anti-annexation"; the DPP last month ordered a ban on participation of public officials of DPP affiliation, showing that it intended to draw a line. However, in recent days, because the electoral prospects in Kaohsiung are in dire straits, the DPP changed its mind, deciding to hold an "anti-annexation to protect Taiwan" march together with civil nativist groups in Kaohsiung on the same day, echoing the activities of the “Formosa Alliance.” From "banning participation" to "echoing the north from the south," besides showing the not too optimistic prospects in the Kaohsiung race, the DPP's changing attitude also explains the hesitant, give-and-take relations between President Tsai and the Taiwan independence faction.

The reason why the DPP issued an order last month banning the participation in the activities of the "Formosa Alliance" is principally because it considers that the elections are forthcoming. In order to expand the seeking of support, it must keep a distance from the extreme Taiwan independence forces within the Green camp so as not to scare off swing voters and economic voters. Now, eyeing the fact that Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Chen Chi-mai’s electoral prospects are in dire straits, the DPP cannot but take out the “Taiwan independence card” from its toolbox, hoping to use the “anti-China” appeal to cozy up to and consolidate the Green bedrock supporters in Kaohsiung, and at the same time, extending amity and apologies to the Taiwan independence faction.

Viewed from the current situation in Kaohsiung, with regard to the DPP’s holding an "anti-annexation to protect Taiwan" march in echoing the activities of the Taiwan independence faction, just how much effect it will produce is, in fact, hard to say. The reason is that Han Kuo-yu has been targeting the "economic card," saying that Kaohsiung is both old and poor, appealing to the new generation of "youth moving north," hoping to revitalize Kaohsiung’s economy. However, the "anti-annexation to protect Taiwan" march launched by the DPP is targeting the traditional ploy of playing the "threat card"; even if it could call up the old souls of deep Green supporters, it would not help much for the future of Kaohsiung. In reality, Kaohsiung is facing a decline following two decades of ineffectual governance, having nothing to do with the annexation threat from the other side of the Strait. The DPP is employing an old tactic and using a “mesmerizing drug,” but many in Kaohsiung may perhaps have generated immunity.

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