Pan-Green’s Highhandedness, Ko Wen-je’s Predicament

  Pan-Green’s Highhandedness, Ko Wen-je’s Predicament

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

February 2, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

In order to dissolve the pan-Green internecine struggle for the Taipei City mayoral election, President Tsai asked Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je to reconfirm "Taiwan values"; Ko quickly said "I would very much like to know what her Taiwan values are" in a deft response. Then Ko arrived in Europe for a tour, and delivered a speech under the theme "Taipei values." Ko’s evasion and low profile vis-à-vis "Taiwan values" precisely reflects the fact that Ko, aiming for re-election, is now mired in a dilemma and predicament over how to please both sides.

Ko’s Taipei values are "progressive values" Taipei edition; Taipei values are, of course, included in Taiwan values, which are greater in content. Ko insists on taking the middle way, unwilling to get involved in Green-Blue confrontation: Taiwan as the principal, but not to be cut off from the Mainland; reconciliation with the Mainland, but not blindly to be absorbed. Ko’s Taipei values point out "change, which the public are anxious to embrace at the present, not seeking personal benefits, not serving any political party"; only when cross-Strait reconciliation is added is it the core of Taiwan values.

Ko Wen-je’s Taipei values seek a new fusion point for Taiwan values, and explore for Taiwan a new mode of cooperation with the Mainland. However, some pan-Green clamor loudly for fielding a Green candidate, some even forcing Ko to manifest his ideology. If the nine-in-one local elections become another chaotic fight between Blue and Green, it definitely is not Taiwan values in the words of Tsai Ing-wen. Ko Wen-je probably has to think clearly about the path for Taiwan in the next five years and make a choice; for political figures, the greatest taboo is to please both sides.

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