Speech by Ma Ying-jeou at the KMT National Congress

Honorary Party Chairman Lien, Chairman Wu, Speaker Wang of the Legislative Yuan, KMT vice chairpersons, CAC Presidium chairpersons, CSC members, Secretary-General Wu, CC members, party delegates, party workers and fellow party members, and all friends who care about the future of Taiwan,
Welcome!

The National Congress just approved the nomination of myself and former Premier Vincent Siew as the KMT candidates for the elections of the twelfth-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China.

I am honored by the trust and faith you have placed in me. I’ve never before felt so profoundly the intense expectation of party members and all compatriots for a better tomorrow.
The reason why I feel this way now is that we’ve experienced seven lean years, a time of economic depression, high unemployment, sluggish agricultural sales, and a decrease in real income. Hardest hit have been youth, laborers, farmers and small and medium sized business owners. An M-type society is emerging: in a time of increasing wealth disparity, it is distressing to see such brisk sales of lavish homes and luxury sedans. Taiwan’s governmental competitiveness continues to fall, and the people of Taiwan earn less and less in real terms. But all the current government does is fan ethnic tension and pick political fights. They’re incompetent or simply uninterested when it comes to reviving the economy and serving the people.

This state of affairs is highly distressing. I stand before you with a heavy heart.

Taiwan cannot continue to slip.

Nor can we keep running in place. We’ve got to start moving forward!

Thus, here and now, I solemnly announce that:
I am running for president to get Taiwan moving again.
My goal as president is not to benefit myself, my family, or my party. I am running because I think I can defend Taiwan’s core values, because I believe I can benefit Taiwan.

A change in political power is secondary: the main thing is that the welfare of the people cannot be sacrificed. The people come first.

Today, I present to you and all Taiwanese people “Let’s Get Taiwan Moving Again” as the theme of my campaign.

Let’s Get Taiwan Moving Again basically means dispensing with fruitless bickering. We must refuse to engage in discussion of non-issues that create or worsen social divisions. It means to focus on Taiwan’s real problems and propose feasible solutions. Taiwan cannot continue to spin its wheels. It’s time for Taiwan to get moving again.

Below are my four main objectives or orientations:
1) Recover Taiwan’s core values.
2) Revive Taiwan’s economy.
3) Ensure Taiwan’s true dignity.
4) Build a bright future.

Ⅰ. Recover Taiwan’s core values.
To realize the truth of democracy and to let people’s true colors shine through.

Taiwan is an immigrant society. Our pioneer ancestors crossed the ocean to have the opportunity to develop in a new land and give their children and grandchildren a place to thrive. The virtues and morals they instilled in the younger generation include fortitude, practicality, earnestness, integrity, perseverance, decency and tolerance. These moral qualities have become the core values of the Taiwanese people. They have speeded Taiwan’s progress and development.

What is disheartening is that for the past seven years, the people have been plagued by a regime that practices politics of manipulation. The people have been hoodwinked, incited, polarized, fragmented and neglected. The power-holders sow discord and water the thirsty flowers of power. They allow or even exacerbate interpersonal alienation to cover up their own incompetence. This is unethical and spineless politics. For ourselves and our children, we must discard narrowmindedness and animosity. We must return to love and caring, in order to recover Taiwan’s healthy core values.

Thus, for the presidential election next year, if I receive the people’s mandate, I will establish a government that is incorruptible, efficient, fair, conciliatory and practical, a government that keeps its promises to the people and puts the people in charge.

After my inauguration, I will immediately set a second wave of democratic reforms in motion, to restore the people’s faith in government.

--I will not amend the constitution for no good reason. I will respect the spirit of Taiwan’s dual-executive system by letting the majority party in the Legislative Yuan form the cabinet. If the DPP has the majority, I will appoint a green Premier. I will practice bipartisan governance.

--I will form a constitutional assessment team to discuss the merits and demerits of current constitutional implementation, to crystallize bipartisan consensus and, when the time is right, to draft a constitutional reform bill.

--I will realize the core values of democracy of equality and diversity, so that every citizen of the ROC can enjoy equal treatment, so that nobody is discriminated against on the basis of provincial origin, place of birth, religion, sex, political affiliation, locality, language or physical or mental condition. Taiwan has always been an immigrant society. We should respect differences and appreciate the diversity of our fine tradition.

--I will exert myself to rectify corruption and promote clean government. In the past few years, corruption in our central government has gotten worse and worse. Corruption among DPP government officials is rampant. The extent of the corruption is startling and is the main reason why there is a need for a changing of the guard. I will press for clean governance targets and enhance anti-corruption measures, to be implemented concurrently locally and centrally. I will urge those in positions of power to lead by example. In addition, I will speed the passage of the much delayed Sunshine Reform Bills, to make politics more ethical.

--I will respect the independence of the judiciary, strictly forbidding political involvement in the judicial and justice system, whether in personnel appointment or in the process of investigating and trying cases. I will also push for judicial reform to increase fairness and make the judiciary an impregnable line of defense protecting human rights and public order.

--I will respect the operation of independent government agencies. In addition to those designated in the Constitution, these organs include the Central Election Committee and the National Communications Council (NCC), both executive agencies. When we take power we will strictly observe jurisdictional authority to assure the independence and impartiality of these agencies.

--I will respect the opposition and the media, both being minimal requirements of democratic society. The two major parties should maintain a competitive relationship and not a combative one. As president I will actively promote the greatest possible cooperation between the blue and green camps. It’s in the national interest.
My second main objective is:

Ⅱ. Revive Taiwan’s economy.
Strengthen Taiwan, Connect with Asia-Pacific, Deploy Globally
Until 2000, Taiwan was always the first of the four Asian tigers. But in the past seven years, economic conditions have worsened and economic performance has been sluggish. Various indicators are far from ideal. For example, our global competitive rating is sliding, unemployment is increasing, income inequality is worsening, the misery index is rising and the rate of suicide is record-setting. These are causes for alarm. They have caused people in diverse fields to lose faith in the future.

Entering the 21st century, the two main international economic trends are globalization and the knowledge economy. Taiwan’s answer to these two challenges is the Blue Ocean Strategy, which should replace old thinking, frameworks and strategies. The Blue Ocean Strategy integrates the domestic and the international and is the best approach to developing the economy.

For the challenges of globalization and regional economic development, we have a concrete policy, summarized in the three words strengthen, connect and deploy: strengthen Taiwan, connect with the Asia-Pacific region and deploy globally. The following three points define our global vision of Taiwan’s economic future:
1. Taiwan as a global innovation center: We will recreate Taiwan as a global technology and product innovation center, increasing productivity and competitiveness to create investment opportunities and promote the development of new industries.
2. Taiwan as a Asia-Pacific economic and trade hub: We will promote Taiwan as the Asia-Pacific region’s platform for operations and management, financial services, industrial capital raising, and storage and transshipping. Taiwan can also be the Asia-Pacific operations center for multinational corporations. This is the economic policy recommended to Premier Lien Chan by former Premier Vincent Siew during his term as vice chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development. It will be the driving force behind Taiwan’s service industry, so that service and manufacturing will serve as a dual-dynamo of economic development.
3. Taiwan as home base of Taiwanese companies worldwide: as an airline hub for northeast and southeast Asia, and as a “dual operations center,” Taiwan remains the ideal operational headquarters for Taiwanese companies, the most solid foundation for value creation and global expansion. Taiwanese entrepreneurs will deploy globally while remaining rooted at home: they will coordinate domestic and international development.

We have now entered the age of the knowledge economy. Taiwan’s Blue Ocean Strategy is all about “value-added innovation”. Our two concrete responses to the advent of the knowledge economy are:
1. Improve the competitiveness of essential industrial and production factors, which means both personnel training and production, financial, technological and management innovation.
2. Promote economic policies that will breathe life into local economies, nurture small and mid-size enterprises and support the service industry, in order to create job opportunities and increase local government income.

If the KMT is elected next year, we promise that the day we take power will be the day when Taiwan’s economy comes back to life. We promise to integrate political, business and academic resources and to exert ourselves to implement new economic development strategies. We project an annual growth rate of 6% starting in 2008. By 2011 the per capita income will reach USD 20,000. At the same time, a hundred thousand job opportunities will be created and the unemployment rate will fall below 3%.
My third main objective is:

Ⅲ. Ensure Taiwan’s true dignity.
This means winning the respect of others by respecting ourselves.

The current government has made “Taiwan dignity” an oft-repeated slogan, but what’s ironic is that they are the ones who have hurt Taiwan’s dignity most of all. They often create internal unity by encouraging supporters to nurse hatred against some external enemy. They’re all offense, like the swordsman Gudu Qiubai from Jin Yong’s martial arts novels. They even act this way in the realm of diplomacy, and when they act rashly they humiliate Taiwan. What is worse is the harm they have done to the mutual trust between Taiwan and our allies built up painstakingly over many years. As for cross-Strait relations, they are heedless of the close trade relationship that has developed between Taiwan and Mainland China: they court confrontation and as a result create national security crises. At the same time, domestically they use the cant word “dignity” to stir up populist sentiment. They seek to appeal to the lowest common denominator. They use the phrase “love Taiwan” like this is the highest and most sacred truth, like pronouncing two words is the answer to everything.

It’s an inflammatory and irrational performance, a travesty of democracy.

We feel that the true meaning of dignity is that you must first respect yourself before others will respect you. Dignity means cultivating yourself in various ways. There’s an internal dimension: self-respect, gained by setting a high standard for yourself. And there’s an external dimension, which is the pursuit and defense of equality in one’s dealings with others.
There are three areas we have to focus on to guard Taiwan’s dignity:
1. To live with dignity you have to ensure certain economic and environmental conditions. If you isolate yourself like Cuba, the Cuban experience over the past decades will tell you what to expect.
2. Those in power must respect the citizens, not manipulate them and Balkanize them. Ideology is no excuse for looking down on people. For this reason, the pseudo-issue of unification vs. separation should be laid to rest. The government and opposition should return to the real problems of economy and social welfare.
3. Fight for international survival:
In the past seven years, the authorities have continually changed their tune on diplomacy and the cross-Strait question. The DPP has been behaving like a naughty child—our allies have to keep a close eye on us and box our ears when we make mischief—or acting like a child that wants attention—how often have we heard of “mystery flight diplomacy.” These tactics have not increased Taiwan’s bargaining chips. Internationally, Taiwan does not have that many friends. And under the DPP we’ve been losing our most precious diplomatic asset: trust. As a result, we’re getting more and more insignificant.

Once the KMT takes power, I will solemnly announce that Taiwan will adopt an attitude of non-aggression and self-respect in the international arena. This is the way to put Taiwan first and advance the people’s interest. Taiwan will participate in international affairs in a more active and practical manner. We’ll enhance peaceful exchanges between Mainland China and Taiwan. And we’ll increase Taiwan’s space for international interactions on the basis of mutual trust across the Taiwan Strait.

International society has never treated the Republic of China Taiwan on equal terms. We cannot, however, use this as an excuse for self-isolation or resignation. We must instead face our situation with magnanimity and firm resolve. We must make a home for ourselves in a hostile world. We must refuse to be a slave of history.

Taiwan is small in area, but we can ascent to the heights of human history, holding our heads up high as we play our role on the international stage. By opening up to the world and staying practical, Taiwan is sure to win.
My fourth main strategy is:

Ⅳ. Building a bright future.
The insight of the electorate will decide Taiwan’s future.
Only with far-reaching insight will we have a promising future. Only with a profound appreciation of self can one set the right goals.

In my estimation, Taiwan’s biggest asset is its superior geographical position.

It is the most prominent island off the East Asian mainland. It has a maritime culture of open prospect, a quick wit, a spirit of adventure and yet without a spirit of plunder.

Thus, in being open to the outside, we want to make particular mention of my running mate Vincent Siew’s plan for Taiwan to become an all-zone free trade zone in the world, a region in which the international flow of materials, currency and human resources is facilitated. This is the ideal economic strategy for Taiwan.

This strategy addresses the threat of Taiwan’s marginalization after the implementation of the ASEAN “10 + 3” (Mainland China, South Korea and Japan) free trade agreement. It turns Taiwan into an active economic agent and not a passive patient, by raising economic strength to a new level and buttressing Taiwan’s international position.

Finding a foothold in the world is the only way forward.
If we want a bright future, we need to sustain our international competitiveness.

Thus, the educational institutions that are supposed to transform the national consciousness must not fall behind. We need to nurture the next generation with new thinking and new knowledge, to ensure they are fit, good citizens and lifelong learners. The most important thing is to teach them not to act like ostriches or like the traditional Chinese emperors who closed the national borders on a whim. In order words, we must discourage insularity.

The 21st century is the age of “soft power.” We have to build our cultural and creative industries, in order to make Taiwan an Asian cultural center. Culture is not only food for the soul. It is also the foundation of self-understanding for every nation or society. It is also the symbol of national power and an inexhaustible resource for industrial progress and development.

We must mobilize all possible national and social resources to optimize our cultural accomplishments and creativity. Not a single citizen should be excluded from the achievements of human civilization. Eliminating illiteracy is already a minimum standard for modern nations. The new challenge is eliminating cultural illiteracy. As mayor of Taipei, I held to the principle that “development can make the nation great, but culture makes a city great.” We have to use culture to make Taiwan great.

Naturally, at the same time as we develop the economy, we must absolutely not sacrifice or discount social justice.
Everyone has the same right to pursue the good life. Every decent government must guarantee that every person has the opportunity to realize this dream. And government should approach the implementation of social welfare policies that protect of the rights of workers, farmers and other disadvantaged groups with comprehensive legislation, highly efficient management, administrative transparency and a principled approach. This is the way to efficiently narrow the gap between rich and poor that is so corrosive to people’s happiness. Recently the presidential pardon of Yang Rumen inspired much debate; but we should remember that this so-called rice bomber planted those bombs out of concern for all the farmers the authorities had ignored and failed to care for. His own father is a farmer who had been left out of life’s feast. Thus, we believe that social justice can be realized through careful planning without compromising the economy. In fact, greater social harmony is conducive to economic development. The economy isn’t healthy right now, and the DPP government should bear the brunt of the blame. The government should not expect the welfare system to cover for its mistakes or incompetence.

Neither can our natural environment be sacrificed or discounted.

The environment is an asset we want to leave to our children and grandchildren. The natural landscape is priceless. Sustainable development is a major objective for all modern nations. Global warming is an issue of global concern, and in the past few years Taiwan’s CO2 emissions have greatly increased and are now the highest in the world by unit area. We use resources inefficiently and must adopt efficient means to meet the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. We should strive for environmentally friendly industry that uses less energy, less water and creates less pollution.

If we have a vision in our imaginations and kindness in our hearts, and if we keep our feet on the ground and practice what we preach, there’s no stopping us.

We can make Taiwan beautiful again.
Fellow party members and all countrymen, Taiwan has been running in place for over seven years, idling away precious time.

Political ethics has disappeared. Besides the lust for power, there is only an indefinable rancor and fear. There is no vision or readiness for action that would transform the personal and the political.

Taiwan’s economy is in the doldrums, and so are people’s hearts. Society is almost ready to split apart. If that happens, all that will be left is a moral wasteland, a place of sorrow and pain.

At this turning point in history, the KMT stands as it always has for national responsibility. We must not decline the burden of the present. We must rise up and work with the people to recover Taiwan’s precious core values, courageously creating a future that is full of hope. Let us join hands and stride forward, to build a bright living environment for ourselves and future generations.

Thank you.

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