The 33-Year-Old DPP Has Only One Tactic Left—Bickering with the M’land

 The 33-Year-Old DPP Has Only One Tactic Left—Bickering with the M’land

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

September 29, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

The DPP on September 28th celebrated its 33rd anniversary of the party’s founding, adopting a resolution of meager significance, titled "Marching with Society and Win-Win for This Generation", which didn’t underscore any high points. The presidential race is to choose the country’s future; the voters cannot rely on political rhetoric to cast their ballots. As the incumbent national leader, President Tsai Ing-wen cannot be apt at just usurping the resources of future generations for electioneering purposes; she must harbor a responsible attitude to clearly explain to the nation wither she will lead the country.

Since its stunning defeat in the nine-in-one local elections last November, the DPP has been bickering with the Mainland, plus the factor of the US-China confrontation, cross-Strait relations have rapidly deteriorated. President Tsai prides herself as being a "daredevil"; however, bickering with the Mainland in a high pitch is not the best approach to defend Taiwan's democracy, because eliciting the oppression of the other side of the Strait would imperil Taiwan’s security environment. Without security, and without opportunities for development, could the institutions of democracy endure and remain stable?

Although divergences exist between the two sides of the Strait, commonalities still abound; the question is whether the two sides are willing to seek commonalities and shelve differences. How to break the current deadlock, and achieve convergence with the Mainland, reopening mechanisms of consultations, temporarily halting the diplomatic avalanche, establishing benign cross-Strait interactions all need President Tsai to introduce concrete policies. As a national leader, she must realistically face the current cross-Strait situation, shouldering responsibility for Taiwan's future development; she must not become the terminator at the turning point for Taiwan’s march toward decay and collapse when pursued and judged by future generations. The Mainland is the world's second largest economy; with good cross-Strait relations, Taiwan will be good; with cross-Strait relations turning bad, Taiwan would not be good. To create opportunities for cross-Strait relations is to create opportunities for Taiwan's survival and development.

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