XALSO IN THIS EDITION:
 November 2006
XCHAIRMAN MA IS KEY
FOR A SMOOTH ARMS
PACKAGE.....………....5

 XWITH LOVE, WE CAN

MAKE A BEAUTIFUL
ISLAND........................6

democracy


&


A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE DPP’S

DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
progress
SPECIAL REPORT: KAOHSIUNG & TAIPEI ELECTION
The Kaohsiung and Taipei Mayoral Elections are almost one month away. Former premier of Taiwan, Hsieh
Chang-ting (Frank Hsieh) and former minister of the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA), Chen Chu, intend to
run as DPP candidates, bringing their wealth of experience to the two major cities of Taiwan.

Chen Chu for Kaohsiung City

Chen Chu became involved in politics when
she joined the group of democracy activists
to pursue democratization of Taiwan. Chen
was arrested in 1979 for her involvement in
the Kaohsiung Incident. After spending six
years in prison, Chen Chu spent her political
career working for disadvantaged
communities in Taiwan that did not enjoy the
benefits of Taiwan’s economic growth. She
had worked in the Kaohsiung and Taipei city
governments until she was appointed
Minister of the Council of Labor Affairs in
2000.

Chen Chu seen here with former human rights activist, Lei Chen, in 1977

Chen Chu intends to implement a strategy of continuing to pursue the prosperity of Kaohsiung City as an
international cosmopolitan city. Chen Chu uses the campaign slogan “love for Kaohsiung” to win the hearts
of Kaohsiung City voters, who have seen the advancements and opportunities that the DPP has created in
Kaohsiung City.
2 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

DEMOCRACY &
PROGRESS
Department of International
Affairs
Democratic Progressive Party
8F, No. 30, Pei-Ping East Rd.
Taipei, Taiwan
t. 886-2-23929989 ext. 305
f. 886-2-23214527
e-mail: foreign@dpp.org.tw
web: http://www.dpp.org.tw

Director
Winston Dang

Editor-in-Chief:
Michael Fonte

Editor:
Ping-Ya Hsu
Chen Chu is seen here energizing a campaign rally in Kaohsiung City.
She plans to continue Kaohsiung’s development as an international
cosmopolitan city.

Frank Hsieh for Taipei City

Frank Hsieh is currently one of the most experienced candidates running for
Taipei City mayor. His qualifications and administration skills both in
Taipei City and the rest of Taiwan are extensive, starting as a Taipei City
councilor, legislator, mayor of Kaohsiung and finally, premier of Taiwan.

Hsieh plans to implement concrete solutions to many of Taipei City

problems that Mayor Ma Ying-jeou has not tackled or has ignored. For
example, the rivers bordering Taipei City, such as Tamshui River, are
completely polluted and the fish that live in these rivers have died one by
one and continue to perish with more pollution.
3 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

The fish in Tamshui River have been dying one by one due to pollution and bad administration. Frank Hsieh
says, “With this kind of administration in Taipei City, how is our environment going to improve?” (Tamshui
River, August 12, 2006).

Hsieh has said that Taipei City is a city that is culturally rich with different voices and multi-ethnic groups.
Taipei City attracts immigrants from overseas and other counties in Taiwan, and Frank Hsieh has
emphasized in his campaign that their voices in Taipei must be heard. He says that the voices of Taipei have
not been heard throughout these years, including those of the elderly.

Frank Hsieh says in his blog, “There are many historic places in Taipei that are rundown and forgotten. We
must preserve these parts of our past and tell their rich history to the next generation.”
Both candidates have established campaign headquarters for the election. They have also created blogs in
the Internet. Even though both candidates have remained behind their KMT counterparts in the polls, recent
numbers show a surge in popularity. Polling conducted by the DPP Survey Department shows that their low
polling is due to the DPP image in general and not due to the candidates’ themselves. With the start of the
anti-Chen movement and pan-blues pushing for a recall in the Legislative Yuan, DPP supporters and neutral
voters have changed their previous impression of the DPP.
4 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

Hsieh Chang-ting (Frank): born in Taipei City

Education:

LLB, National Taiwan University

LLM. Kyoto University, Japan

Ph.D. Candidate Kyoto University

Experience:

Councilor of Taipei City

Legislator, Legislative Yuan

Chairman of the DPP, 9th Term

Mayor of Kaohsiung City

Premier of Taiwan

Chen Chu: born in Ilan County

Education:

M.A. Public Affairs, National Sun Yat-Sen University

Experience:

Formosa Incident Activist

National Assemblywoman

Director, Social Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government

Minister of the Council of Labor Affairs

5 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

Chairman Ma is key for a smooth arms package

The Legislative Yuan is about to examine the arms bill. Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party
Yu Shyi-kun held a press conference on October 30 saying that KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou has continued
blocking the arms bill without stating any reasons. Blocking the arms package, Chairman Yu says, might be
Ma’s first step to unite with China.
Yu argued that the key to passing the arms bill lies with Chairman Ma. The DPP and KMT legislators
combined, as long as the KMT supports this bill, have enough votes to pass it without considering the People
First Party (PFP).
Yu emphasized the point that the military gap between Taiwan and China was getting bigger, and this is a
fact that Taiwan must face. Yu also said that the most powerful countries in the world need the most powerful
arms to defend themselves, and that the purpose of passing the arms bill is to defend Taiwan, to prevent a
military imbalance between Taiwan and China, and thus to prevent China from invading Taiwan.
As for the KMT’s suspicion of the arms bill budget, Yu suggested that the KMT should at least let the
bill into the legislative agenda so that legislators have a chance to examine the arms budget. Blocking the bill
is not helpful to this issue, Yu said.
Yu recommended that the KMT should hold public hearings, discuss and debate the budget and delete
those budget items that are not in Taiwan’s interest. Yu said that this was what we should do with the arms
bill.
The KMT has blocked this bill 62 times and has refused to discuss this bill in the Legislative Yuan.
Yu demanded that Ma clarify why the KMT was blocking the arms bill. Ma visited the U.S. earlier this
year, and expressed in public that he had a good talk with U.S. government officials, promising to approve the
arms package.
“It is hard for us not to suspect that blocking the arms bill is the first step for the KMT to unite with
China, and this is the KMT’s first part of his unification trilogy,” Yu said.
Yu said the “unification trilogy” meant Ma was anti-arms bill, agreement on no independence and,
finally, unification. Ma already said that unification with China is the KMT’s ultimate goal. Ma also indicated,
during interviews with foreign media, that if he won the presidential election in 2008, he would sign an
agreement with China before the year 2012. Yu expressed that this agreement would be an agreement on no
independence for Taiwan and this agreement would give up Taiwan’s sovereignty. Ma’s opposition to the
arms bill is weakening Taiwan’s self-defense and is working according to the “unification trilogy” in order to
achieve unification with China.
Yu recommended that the Procedural Committee of the Legislative Yuan process the examination of
the arms bill.
6 DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

With love, we can make a beautiful island

From the blog of Chen Chu, Kaohsiung Mayoral Candidate

In the past month, we have seen anti and pro-Chen movements. They have already created conflict among
Taiwanese society. Whereas television images can segment, Taiwanese society cannot be segmented. National
Day should not be a day for strife, and Taipei should not become a battlefield because any time blood runs in
the streets, it creates wounds to Taiwan’s history.
In 1995, Shi Ming-teh raised a call for the “Great Reconciliation”, receiving my deep admiration and
esteem. However, why did the great reconciliation turn into great hatred? I am still bewildered as to why Shi
Ming-teh has changed his former viewpoint.
With hands twisted, the anti and pro-Chen movements point their fingers upward and downward. Why
can’t we open our hands and shake them with each other for unity instead? Here, in Taiwan, we are brothers
and sisters, we share the same destiny and we don’t need hand gestures or colors to differentiate us.
Only with love, can there be a beautiful island (meilidao). The former Formosa Incident was created out
of love for Taiwan and because we valued the Taiwanese people. Because of this love and caring, the former
democratic movement was able to achieve democratic results. Politicians must carry a sense of compassion
and caring because, after all, hatred cannot achieve any results. The anti and pro-Chen movements must all
find a retreat strategy in order for Taiwanese society to return to peace and rationality. I strongly believe that
the best exit strategy is to return to our Constitution and to our judicial system.

“Politicians must carry a sense of

compassion and caring because, after all,
hatred cannot achieve any results.”

- Chen Chu