Only When Su Tseng-chang Forgets the Shadow of Tsai Ing-wen Could He Truly Push Ahead

 Only When Su Tseng-chang Forgets the Shadow of Tsai Ing-wen Could He Truly Push Ahead

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

January 17, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

Retaking the premiership at the age of 71 is an accident in the political career of Su Tseng-chang. As the DPP is in full control of the government, plus the fact that President Tsai Ing-wen has softened her stance and let go, Su Tseng-chang will be the most the premier with the greatest power in Taiwan's history, but facing the subsequent four chain contradictions, the Su Cabinet’s fortunes are destined to experience many hardships.

The first contradiction that the Su Cabinet will face is the diametrical differences in character between Tsai Ing-wen and himself. Starting from 2006, when Tsai Ing-wen served as then Premier Su Tseng-chang’s deputy, the two have been like fire and water. This time, because of Tsai Ing-wen’s recent defeat, she has softened her stance, delegating personnel appointments and public policies to Su Tseng-chang; the complex in the past and the rivalry in character could temporarily be at ease. However, whether this kind of equilibrium could be maintained for long, only time will tell.

Second, in the result of the 10 plebiscite elections, the DPP’s long-held ideals went against popular will everywhere; these are thorny problems for Su Tseng-chang. The third is the contradiction between executive and legislative powers. In the future, the challenges of DPP legislators against the party caucus will occur frequently; with powerful legislators, the post of legislative party whip would be a difficult one, weakening the functions of cooperation between the executive and legislative branches, and increasing the resistance to Cabinet policies. Finally is the contradiction between the central and local governments. The KMT rules 15 cities and counties, added to Taipei, they have formed an encirclement of the central government by localities. These four contradictions are not independent from one another, but are are chained together with a multiplying effect, which can be summed up as "contradictions of responsibilities." Once facing setbacks, with a resurgence of popular grievances, the contradictions of responsibilities and contradictions of power between Tsai Ing-wen and Su Tseng-chang will erupt.

In the coming year and a half, for the DPP to dissolve these four great contradictions, and for Taiwan to march forward, the crux lies in that Tsai Ing-wen must realize that "not to compete is truly competing" and that she should consider that 2020 will be a world under someone else; [taken from the Art of War by Sun Tzu] “one survives when being put in the deadliest situation.” If Tsai is obsessed with re-election all the time, then she will fall to the losing end, being worried that Su Tseng-chang will achieve nothing in governance, and at the same time being afraid that he would overshadow his boss with plentiful accomplishments. No premier could accomplish anything under such a president.

Su Tseng-chang should forget about the shadows of Tsai Ing-wen, the DPP, and 2020; he should only have the welfare of the people of Taiwan and the country’s future in his mind. For the right things, he should go ahead without hesitation; Su Tseng-chang should use himself to hijack the DPP, and not hesitate or procrastinate, conversely letting the DPP bind his hands and feet.

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