Tsai Ying-wen’s Only Way Out Is, in a Reverse Move, to Hijack the Taiwan Independence Faction

 Tsai Ying-wen’s Only Way Out Is, in a Reverse Move, to Hijack the Taiwan Independence Faction

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

December 11, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

Since the 9-in-1 local elections, the DPP controls only 6 counties and cities; based on Taiwan’s past experiences, after suffering such a stunning defeat in the local elections, the ruling party, with no exception, will lose power in the ensuing presidential election. President Tsai Ing-wen has only been in office for two and a half years, and it looks like she has already become a “caretaker president,” only waiting to step down in 2020.

In fact, the only thing that Tsai Ing-wen can do, and should do now is to transcend Blue and Green and be a "president of all people," and not one of only the Green camp or of the Taiwan Independence Faction. What Tsai Ing-wen should opt for is whether to continue to be hijacked by the fundamentalist faction, or in a reverse move, hijack the fundamentalist faction.

The DPP’s customary "China phobia card" and "hate China card" have failed; the voters’ choice is very clear. In the Taipei mayoral election, the dyed-in-wool Green Pasuya Yao only got a mere 17% of the vote. The two candidates running on the planks of the “1992 Consensus” and the “two sides of the Strait are like family,” respectively, got a vote exceeding 80%. Which is the mainstream vox populi; is it not obvious?

Accepting the “two sides of the Strait are like family,” and in a reverse move, hijacking the Taiwan Independence Faction may perhaps cause dissatisfaction of the Taiwan Independence Faction, but this can be smoothed out. Reducing political squabbling and wrangling to a minimum, and well readjusting cross-Strait relations in the remaining 13 months, seeking more room in efforts to strive for the economy, securing the maximum degree of swing voters’ trust-- This is precisely the only right path for Tsai Ing-wen to stem the gales and the waves!

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