Let’s Wait to See Han Kuo-yu’s First Arrow

 Let’s Wait to See Han Kuo-yu’s First Arrow

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

November 27, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

Han Kuo-yu, with stunning popularity, captured Kaohsiung City Hall, showing that people wanted change, and that "striving for the economy" was the expectation of the majority of Kaohsiung residents. Kaohsiung’s economy has long been in the doldrums; Han Kuo-yu’s electoral victory means the start of his responsibility for striving for the economy and letting Kaohsiung residents “make big money”; he must as quickly as possible submit a respectable report card. In the past, Kaohsiung's urban development has headed in the wrong direction, and the capacity of City Hall’s governance has been inadequate; all this could not be resolved overnight. However, he still has to as quickly as possible shoot the first arrow that is at once fast, accurate, and sharp, letting citizens feel change is coming.

According to a forecast of the International Monetary Fund, as the economic performance of the "rich economies" will be affected by the US-China trade war next year, the major economic trend will be disadvantageous to Taiwan; it is difficult for Kaohsiung to be exempt. However, improving cross-Strait relations, constructing better interactions with the other side of the Strait, including the other side of the Strait as a buffer hinterland of Kaohsiung’s economy, should produce immediate effects on the economy of Kaohsiung. For instance, the prices of agricultural and fishery products in Kaohsiung have been falling, the tourism industry is in the doldrums with many tourist hotels on the brink of bankruptcy, even the hordes of customers have disappeared from the Liuho night market, with stall merchants waiting in angst, as long as the Mainland is willing, all these should be easy to solve.

To Mayor Han’s appeals, the Mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office made a swift response, saying "We welcome more counties and cities in Taiwan to participate in city-to-city exchanges and cooperation across the Strait." Terry Guo, Chairman of Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker, expressed support for Han Kuo-yu’s plans for developing Kaohsiung’s economy, pledging that he would increase the number of research personnel from 300 to 3,000 in the big data computing center at the Kaohsiung Software Science Park, and invited Han Kuo-yu to take part in the cross-Strait entrepreneurs summit scheduled for December 3 in Xiamen on the Mainland. Han indicated that he would attentively consider it. Han Kuo-yu must as soon as possible present a framework and blueprint for "striving for the economy" utilizing the Mainland’s goodwill and the geographical advantage of Kaohsiung’s proximity with the ASEAN region, planning a model of cooperation based on "letting people come in and merchandise ship out."

The high-end manufacturing industry grows rapidly in Shenzhen on the Mainland; the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area is poised for rapid development; there is no harm in Kaohsiung referring to Ireland's plan to turn from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan in Europe, in order to develop high-end value-added services industry, paying attention that the fruits of this hard work trickle down to the voters at the grassroots. Of course, all these plans probably need collaboration of the central government; we sincerely recommend that the central government support the localities, exhibiting that Taiwan needs inclusiveness and shared prosperity; otherwise, it is easy to lose popular support.

In the elections on November 24^th, Kaohsiung citizens defined anew "politics"; in continuation, Han Kuo-yu should redefine "urban economics," winning a "beautiful, uphill battle for better lives" for Kaohsiung citizens. Let’s wait to see Han Kuo-yu’s first arrow.

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