Taiwan Will Be Able to Transform If DPP Eases Its Bondage

  Taiwan Will Be Able to Transform If DPP Eases Its Bondage

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)

April 21, 2017

 Translation of an Except

Taiwan's overall economy showed signs of resuscitation in Q1, but it was accompanied by a caveat that warrants worries. According to the "World Competitiveness Ranking 2016" released by the Lausanne School of Management (IMD), Taiwan ranked 14th, sliding three notches compared with the previous year. The main reason is the decline in ranking for "economic performance." The overall ranking of the Mainland, on the other hand, climbed sharply, surpassing Japan and South Korea. Its economic performance ranked as high as 3^rd, with the total number of personnel in R&D and science and technology reaching 2,197,800, ranking first in the world.

Faced with the fierce global competition, business and industry groups have repeatedly recommended that the government construct a new strategy with equal emphasis on "global market" and "cross-Strait economic and trade relations," ratify the cross-Strait Services Trade Agreement as soon as possible, and conclude the cross-Strait Merchandise Trade Agreement and more bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, push the Statute Governing Free Trade Pilot Zones, accelerate urban renewal and the plan to double the GDP growth rate. At the same time, they recommended that the ruling and opposition parties should cooperate instead of engaging in recriminations, and both sides of the Strait should return to dialogue instead of rivalry. However, the DPP has been in power for nearly a year; its public policies fall far short of the expectations of business and industry groups.

Tsai Ying-wen pledged to business and industry groups with full confidence that we would not have energy shortages this year; however, although we have not yet entered the summer peak, the current power reserve ratio has already been blinking a yellow light warning. Business and industry groups unanimously believe that energy policy must be pragmatic and feasible, strongly urging that before we have 100% assurance for the stable supply of alternate energy resources, the government must not rule out nuclear power in its structure of energy sources, and that, if necessary, it even carry out the extention of commissioning Nuclear Power Plant No.1, No.2, and No.3 as well as the commercial operation of NPP4 in order to ensure a stable power supply.

The main obstacle for Taiwan's transformation comes from the bondage of ideology, causing the deadlock in cross-Strait relations. The political maneuverings under reunification versus independence over the years make the Green camp shudder at any reference to Mainland capital or Mainland manpower, leading to the one-way western movement of Taiwan’s capital and talent, gradually hollowing out Taiwan’s economy. If we do not think of how to reverse this trend, it will be impossible for Taiwan to pursue innovation and transformation, as well as attract and retain talent.

Beijing will hold a “One Belt, One Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum in May. For Tsai Ying-wen's New Southward Policy to succeed, she cannot avoid seeking cooperation with Mainland China's “One Belt, One Road” policy and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Especially after an early harvest list was reached following 100 days of US-China economic and trade and trade negotiations, both sides may have secured new progress in the area of industrial cooperation; Taiwan must beware of being marginalized.

Tsai Ying-wen should courageously lead Taiwan’s politics to break the Blue-Green barriers and the Green camp’s Sinophobia syndrome. As long as the DPP eases the bondage strangling Taiwan, then Taiwan will be able to release ample vitality and ensure its self-identity. And this is precisely the core value that the DPP should truly safeguard. 

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