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Interpreting the Conversation Between Chen Wei-jao and President Tsai at her Official Residence

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 Interpreting the Conversation Between Chen Wei-jao and President Tsai at her Official Residence

 

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

January 10, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

After Kuan Chung-ming assumed office of the president of National Taiwan University (NTU), Chen Wei-jao, the convener of the NTU president selection committee, made public in an NTU alumni publication the story of meeting with Tsai Ing-wen to discuss Kuan’s case at her official residence. The conversation between Chen Wei-jao and President Tsai on June 6 last year took place by a small square table at her official residence. Tsai Ing-wen asked Chen Wei-jao to restart the selection process, but was rebuffed. She then debated the matter with him on the legal level; the meeting was fruitless and without a happy ending.

Chen Wei-jao’s conversation with Tsai Ing-wen at her official residence was fruitless and without a happy ending, principally because Chen Wei-jao at the onset stated bluntly that Kuan’s was a "political case" and the government’s operational approach was too crude. However, Tsai Ing-wen did not accept the version of "political case," nor did she admit to exerting pressure, saying only that the pressure was created by "social perception." In reality, Kuan’s case became a brouhaha in society, causing instability at the university and unease on campus, while the executive, legislative, and judicial branches ganged up for an assault. Without the intervention of political force, how could the matter have become so tough to end?

In the conversation at Tsai’s official residence, Chen Wei-jao’s significant question was to point out the issue of whether or not the President should intervene in affairs under the purview of the Executive Yuan. With regard to the powers and functions of a president, Tsai Ing-wen all along has been unable to grasp the proper constitutional demarcations; sometimes she overwhelmingly overstepped the law and exceeded power, and sometimes she hesitated and procrastinated. Chen Wei-jao had expected President Tsai to use the stature of "constitutional government" to engage in consultations for the resolution of Kuan’s case; Tsai Ing-wen, however, suddenly used as a shield the demarcation of powers and responsibilities between the President and Premier, evading by saying no. In fact, in the Tsai government, the four powers, i.e., executive, legislative, judicial, and control, had already intervened in “plucking Kuan”; if Tsai Ing-wen had witnessed the dance of witches without stopping it, it was veritable malfeasance.

Chen Wei-jao’s conversation with Tsai Ing-wen has two main meanings: One is that Chen Wei-jao, as an intellectual, refused to bow to and compromise with power, and dared to speak up in defense of university autonomy, and preserving NTU’s integrity; Second, he spotted the fuzzy issue of the demarcation of powers and responsibilities between the President and the Premier, and debunked Tsai Ing-wen’s being pretentious and hypocritical. Kuan’s case lasted for a year; the show eventually ended in a scene which nobody really understood, thoroughly exposing Tsai Ing-wen’s caprice in abusing power and buck-passing.

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