APRIL 2013

DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

DPP announces roster list of China Affairs Committee
On May 1, the DPPs Central Standing Committee approved the list of members for the China Affairs Committee. In the list, members of the committee include: Su Tseng-chang (DPP Chair); You Shyikun (Former Premier); Tsai Ing-Wen (Former DPP Chair); Ker Chian-ming (DPP Legislative Caucus Convener); Chen Chu (Greater Kaohsiung Mayor); Lai Ching-teh (Greater Tainan Mayor); Chiu Yi-ren (Former National Security Advisor); and Wu Nai-ren (Former DPP Secretary-General). Chair Su explained that since the passage last November 21st of the Guidelines to Establish the DPPs China Affairs Committee, the DPP has been actively making preparations to to plan the committees structure. He further reported that in the past five months, the DPP has held more than 17 meetings with more than 200 experts and academics. At the Central Standing Committee Meeting, Chair Su said, The international environment is changing, and China has also faced important political transformations with a leadership change from the last decade of leaders, and in order to understand these new developments, the DPP will hold its first internal China Affairs Committee meeting on May 9 to gather ideas and suggestions. We will then issue to the public the DPPs direction and policy towards exchanges with China. Recent announcements to open cross strait offices On April 29, the DPP held a major coordination meeting on the topic of cross strait issues. Invited were Cross-Strait Agreement Watch Convener Lai Chong-chiang and a group of think tank experts. Discussions were held about cross strait trade agreements and exchanges and both governments recent announcement to open new offices on each side. DPPs Director of China Affairs, Mr. Honigmann Hong, delivered remarks on behalf of Chair Su, saying that due to the special circumstances surrounding cross strait relations, establishing offices on both sides is not a simple issue, and they involve both sides positioning, Taiwans national security and the political future of Taiwan and the influence to its societal development. He said that for this reason, if both sides are going to establish offices, they must be careful on not to encroach on Taiwans sovereignty and respect the principle of equal treatment. He further emphasized that Taiwans positioning is key and the process must be transparent, especially meeting the expectations from Taiwanese businessmen and society in general. Mr. Hong noted that Chair Su has expressed concerns regarding the safety of Taiwanese in China, which is why same access to human rights protection from consular offices in other countries must be ensured in the new offices. PAGE 1

 He said that Chair Su has also requested the DPPs Legislative Caucus to push for Taiwanese people to be able to have legal assistance and the right to meet with Taiwanese officials if faced with detention and imprisonment in China. Mr. Hong added that Chair Su has appealed President Mas administration to ensure national and political security when establishing cross strait offices as well as conduct appraisals on the impact that this would bring to society and to Taiwans economy.

APRIL 2013 He said Chair Su has also urged President Ma to discuss with the public and with opposition parties and allow for the legislative branch to do its job in supervising the process. He lastly added that it is important to respect the principles of: not signing for the sake of signing, not rushing to a deadline and not let ourselves be mistreated, pursuing to the utmost the interests of the Taiwanese people.

DPP plans to implement reform in party membership system

DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang announced on April 29 that the party will set out a series of reform in its membership system. He introduced a major change in reviewing party membership, which formerly was conducted through paper review, but he said that now will be done in a more substantive format including personal interviews, not allowing members with criminal backgrounds, and submitting regular reports to the Central Standing Committee. Chair Su said he has directed chairs of party branches to coordinate with the party headquarters to conduct application reviews, which will also go through review by the Central Standing Committee. He said there is a proposal to the Committee on allowing criminal checks and whether the same members have also joined other political parties. We founded the party 26 years ago, and in these 26 years, the DPP has always persisted in being a peoples party, he said. Even though the party has allowed easy application to party membership to allow more people PAGE 2 from different aspects of society to join, he said that now facing with abnormalities in party applications, the DPP has immediately set out to reform the membership system. He added that firstly, the DPP will continue upholding to the principle of being a peoples party, allowing any kinds of people to join the party, but they must adhere to its constitution. He said that if some peoples motives in joining the party is to interfere with the partys development, destroying its image, or causing problems, all these will not be welcomed. In regards to recent abnormalities in party membership applications, he said that the DPP Headquarters will conduct a thorough investigation, including conducting panel interviews with the application. After the passage of the proposal at the next Central Standing Committee, the DPP will also implement a series of disallowing people with criminal backgrounds to join the party.

APRIL 2013

KMT must do the right thing in ensuring nuclear safety for Taiwan
On April 12, while discussing the DPPs proposal to change the agenda of the Legislative Yuans general assembly to completely halt construction on the Fourth Nuclear Plant, DPP Chair Su Tsengchang said that the DPP is not only answering to This is the world and Taiwan coming to an awareness, he said. Chair Su further demanded that the Ma government show the same awareness and do the right

the worlds trends and the wishes of the Taiwanese people, but it is also following the interpretations of the constitution. He appealed to the KMT to let its legislators join and fulfill the peoples expectations so that society will see who is representing the people. Chair Su added that nuclear disasters such as those that occurred in Three-Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima, have made it evident that even the most advanced technology cannot guarantee nuclear safety. He said that just the opposite, nuclear disasters have grown in magnitude and is drawing closer to home. While Taiwan finds the Fukushima Accident particularly disturbing, other countries have also tended toward stopping the construction of nuclear power plants and the use of nuclear power, he said.

thing. According to Chair Su, he said the since the general public is clearly against the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, the government should quickly turn to focus on the economic issues. He cited the DPPs 345 proposal, an economic goal, whose target average income growth rate is above three percent, the unemployment rate below four percent, and the economic growth rate above 5 percent. He also pointed out dire issues such as national pension reforms and education reforms, among others. He said reforms on the economy and many systems require immediate collaboration between ruling and opposition parties. Hence, the DPP appeals the KMT government to allow its legislators to speak out for the people instead of continuing to

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APRIL 2013

...ensuring nuclear safety for Taiwan

waste time and resources on a high-threshold referendum, he said. Other reasons he gave was that halting construction on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant will also free the industry from sole reliance on nuclear power, bringing Taiwan to become a more environmentally-friendly place. He said he hoped the Legislative Yuan would live up to its role as the highest representative for the peoples will and that it can make their progressive vision become a reality. At the meeting, DPP Legislative Caucus Convener Ker Chien-ming was also present. He said that the DPP has proposed to first discuss halting construction on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant based on Provision 63 of the Constitution, however, the KMT has intentionally misinterpreted the constitution, claiming that only the executive branch was empowered to do so. Convener Ker criticized the KMT stance as breaching the duties of the countrys legislative powers. He further pointed out that with seventy percent of the people against the construction of the plant, its time for the issue to be settled. Nuclear-generated electricity makes up only 5.5 percent of electricity use in Taiwan. Convener Ker said that opening the electricity market will solve shortage problems in electricity supply.

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APRIL 2013

Japan political delegation visits DPP Headquarters

Mr. Nobuo Kishi, Japans Liberal Democratic Party Member of the House of Councillors, who is also the younger brother of current Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, led a delegation to Taiwan comprised of Japanese youth politicians with the purpose of holding economic and cultural exchanges between both countries. On April 30, they visited the DPP Headquarters, and were greeted by Chair Su Tseng-chang as well as DPP Legislative Convener Ker Chian-ming, and legislators Chen Ming-wen, Bikhim Hsiao and Wu Ping-rui, who were part of the Taiwan delegation visit to Japan in February. Also present at the meeting were Koh Se-kai and Luo Fuchuan, former Taiwan representatives to Japan. Chair Su first thanked the delegation for taking time out of the busy schedule to meet them in Japan at the breakfast exchange in February. During that meeting, Chair Su mentioned two accomplishments by the efforts from both sides, which were sending a Taiwan representative to the 311 second anniversary remembrance of the Japanese tsunami disaster and the agreements achieved in fisheries rights. At the same time, Chair Su also congratulated the Liberal Democratic Party for winning a successful byelection at Yamaguchi Prefecture on April 28. Councillor Kishi in turn expressed his appreciation to the Taiwanese people for their large amount of contributions during the 311 tsunami disaster, expressing regret that the Taiwanese government at that time didnt receive enough recognition from Japan. He said Japans government was able to express Japans appreciation to the Taiwanese people in the 2nd anniversary commemoration this year. Similarly, he said he warmly welcomed the accomplishment of signing fisheries agreements with Taiwan this year under his governments leadership. During the exchange this time, DPP legislators and members of the Japanese delegation, representing youth from the Liberal Democratic Party, discussed the strong relationship between members of Japans Diet and legislators from the Legislative Yuan. Chair Su said he looked forward to extending the relationship further in the future. Mr. Yohei Matsumoto, member of the House of Representative in Japan and also Director of the Department of Youth Affairs of the Liberal Democratic Party, also updated Chair Su about their plans

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APRIL 2013

DPP denounces governments recent treatment of President Chens health conditions

The Ministry of Justice abruptly moved President Chen Shui-bian on April 19 from Taipei Veterans General Hospital to Taichungs prison Pei Teh Hospital. This transfer was made without the knowledge of President Chens relatives. The Ministry of Justice has been criticized for this recent handling of his treatment in prison and disregard for his health conditions. DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lee Chun-Yee conrmed that a report drafted by the Taipei Veterans General Hospital shows the former president's health status as poor. He has been diagnosed by medical experts with severe depression, sleep apnea, non-typical Parkinsons disease, speech disorders and mild cerebral atrophy. All these, the DPP believes, show sufcient reasons to grant President Chen a medical parole and in line with human rights treatment for a democratic country like Taiwan. The Ma Administration's hasty decision this morning regarding the former president's health severely violates both the hospital's recommendations as well as the former president's human rights, Lee said. Mr. Lee said that the report by the Taipei Veterans General Hospital clearly indicates the former president's health as very poor and that special medical care arrangements are required. The administration of the current president shows extreme disrespect to the medical experts of the Taipei Veterans General Hospital. As a result, the DPP calls on the Ma Administration to set aside politics and grant President Chen a medical release. Mr. Lee explained that the polls show well over half to sixty percent of the public believe President Chen should be granted a medical release. The DPP is thus asking the DPP Legislative Caucus to simply appease the public's wishes. Mr. Lee further said the Ministry of Justice must explain why it distrusts the medical report concluded by respected experts. Such disregard greatly obstructs upon the duties of medical professionals. Mr. Lee said the DPP suspects if the possibility of a third party has become involved in this decision making, inserting political manipulation in the poor handling of President Chens conditions. Consequently, the DPP Legislative Caucus will unanimously continue to press the Executive Branch on these issues, he concluded.

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APRIL 2013

Taiwans Ministry of Education announces raising tuition fees, DPP opposes increasing debt burden on youth
to organize a youth training camp in Taiwan this coming July. As the Ministry of Education announced a regular adjustment for regular college tuition and fees, implementing an increase of as much as six percent, the DPPs Department of Youth Development (Youth Department) declared catastrophic what the ministry deems as an instant relief to an overwhelmed higher education system. Youth Department Director, Mr. Chang Chichang, said in a press conference on April 9 that recent surveys about student loans indicate that most student loan applicants come from lowincome families, with many even earning below a monthly income of NT$30,000. The total national sum of student loans has reached an all-time high of approximately NTD30 billion, he reported. Mr. Chang pointed out that the current level of tuition and fees has already forced young students to live with the burden of carrying debt at an early age, and increasing this new increase would increase student worries and create more social problems. He criticized what the ministry calls Helping the Disadvantaged Program has become in reality forcing low-income students to fall into a vicious cycle. At the press conference, Mr. Chou You-shiu, Youth Departments Deputy Director, also cited statistics announced by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics of the Executive Yuan, showing that this February, there was a national unemployment rate of 4.24 percent and a still higher 12.99 percent among youth. The most current survey of the salary ranges of young people by the Council of Labor Affairs also shows that the average pay of the age group between 15 to 29 years-old was in the whereabouts of NTD$27,425, the lowest figures in the past seven years, Mr. Chou PAGE 7

 said. Even worse is that as many as 64 percent of young people, more than 1 million, are paid under 30,000 every month. Mr. Chou said the Ma government is responsible for adding worries to young people by high tuition fees and loans while they also face high unemployment and low income after they graduate. He said it is not sensible to use economic growth as a reason to raise tuition because this cannot be translated to better lives for the general public. The Ministry of Education has organized a specialized committee of 20 members to tackle the tuition issue, with only two student representatives involved, and this structure lacks a fair balance according to Mr. Chang. He further noted that the ministry has decided the implementation program without taking into account the students suggestions, making the committee exactly as the students have labeled as a mere formality. Since education is the hope for the underprivileged, implementing high tuition as a quick fix to higher education issues does not assist them in gaining better opportunities ahead, he said. On behalf of the youth, the DPP appealed the current government to engage in an open discussion between the Ministry of Education and students as well as parents in order to have a transparent decision-making process.

APRIL 2013

DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

PUBLISHED BY: Department of International Aairs Democratic Progressive Party 9F, No. 30, Pei-Ping East Road, Taipei, Taiwan Tel: 886-2-2392-9989 ext. 306 Fax: 886-2-2393-0342 Email: foreign@dpp.org.tw Website: http://www.dpp.org.tw

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