dpp newsletter sept2011

8/4/2019 DPP Newsletter Sept2011

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SEPTEMBER 2011

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DPP Chair Tsai Ing-wen nominates Su Jia-Chyuan as running mate

DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

On Sept. 9, DPP Chair and Presidential CandidateTsai Ing-wen announced Secretary General Su

Jia-Chyuan as her running mate for the 2012

presidential elections. DPP Secretary General Su

is a person that has the ability and courage to

fight and an explosive force for the campaign,

Chair Tsai announced.

Tsai said that in nominating Su, she had confi-

dence the DPPs exposure in Central Taiwan will

increase, and at the same time, Su will bring an

added-value to the overall campaign for the DPP.

In her announcement speech, Tsai praised Suspolitical experience and administrative record.

She said Su is not only a founding member of

the party, but he has also represented the country

at the National Assembly and Legislative Yuan,

and has served as Pintung County Governor,

Minister of the Interior and Minister of Agricul-

ture. She also told that since serving as chair of

the DPP from 2008, her reliance on Su as Secre-

tary General has helped the DPPs renew its im-

age among the public.


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...Su Jia-Chyuan as VP running mate

Tsai emphasized that the return to power for

the DPP in 2012 lies on an important objective,

which is to focus on the local economy by

promoting a new agricultural movement in or-

der to strengthen Taiwans agricultural industry.

Tsai said having Secretary General Su as her

running mate represents the DPPs focus on agri-culture as well as getting back to the grassroots

in Central Taiwan.

The presidential elections next year is an ex-

tremely challenging test for the DPP, she said.

The future could be better for Taiwan and we

hope that many of our friends and supporters

stand with us to create a different Taiwan to-

gether.

Secretary General Su delivered an acceptance

speech, expressing confidence that the DPP will

win the trust of the public and become victorious

in the 2012 presidential election.

I am today, just like the past, willing to ac-

cept the invitation of our chair to shoulder the

responsibilities as the DPPs candidate for vice

president, Su said.

I am willing to move heaven and earth and to

assist any hard challenges ahead of us. In the past

three years, I was able to help the DPP rise itself

from the bottom, and I am even more confident

now that my contributions will be even greater

for the challenge ahead of us.

The DPP has released its own survey con-

ducted between Sept. 8 and 9. The survey fo-

cused on the support rate between the two ma-

jor parties and the appreciation rate for the can-

didates for vice president for both parties.

Chen Jung-lin, director of the DPPs Sur-

vey Center, said the survey conducted by the

DPP showed the general publics support ratefor Tsai and Su at 43.6%, while 44% of the

general public said to support the KMTs Ma-

Wu ticket. However, Chen said among the

population with high chances of going to vote,

the support rate for the Tsai-Su ticket was 46.8%

and 44.4% for the Ma-Wu ticket.

In regards to the degree of appreciation for the

candidates of each party, DPPs vice presidential

candidate Su was ahead of Wu. The survey

showed 56.8% of the respondents expressinghigh opinion of Su and 40.2% expressing high

opinion for Wu.

Chen also emphasized that it is note consider-

ing that survey respondents believed Su Chia-

chuan to be more respectful of public opinions

and trustworthy. He said approximately 50.9%

of the public said that Su will bring an added-

advantage to the presidential election while

32.3% responded that Wu would be an added-

advantage.Chen said survey respondents were certainly

negative on the aspects of respect for public

opinions and trustworthiness regarding Wu.


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Chair Tsai Ing-wen leads DPP delegation to US

DPP Chair and Presidential Candidate Tsai Ing-

wen led a delegation to the US this mid-

September, visiting the cities of Washington, D.C.,

Boston, New York, Houston, San Francisco and

Los Angeles.

Speaking to reporters at Taoyuan International

Airport before departure, Tsai said enhancing US

relations and exchanging views with American

friends as well as visiting DPP supporters were the

main objectives of the trip.Tsai also said she hoped to establish more solid

communication mechanisms with Washington so

that next year, when the DPP comes into power,

the two-party relationship between Taiwan and the

US is based on mutual trust and a desire to main-

tain stability in the Asia Pacific region.

The DPP delegation included Legislator Chen

Ming-wen, City Councilor Ho Chih-wei, Foreign

Policy Advisors Chang Fu-mei and Winston Dang,

Former Economic Minister Ho Mei-yueh, FormerNational Security Advisor Chen Chong-hsing,

Taiwan Thinktank Executive Director Chen Po-

chih, Spokepeople Bikhim Hsiao, Chen Chi-mai

and Chuang Ruei-hsiung, staff from the DPPs

policy, international affairs and information de-

partment, and members of the Taiwan media.

Washington, D.C.

Arriving Washington, D.C. on Sept. 12, Chair Tsai

was greeted by DPP supporters at Dulles Interna-tional Airport.

On the following day, Chair Tsai was invited to

visit the Brookings Institution, where she partici-

pated in a roundtable discussion with various

members of think tanks and academia. Following, the DPP delegation visited theAmerican Enterprise Institute (AEI), where shedelivered the speech Taiwans National SecurityChallenges and Strategies in the Next Decade.

The event, hosted by Dan Blumenthal, ResidentFellow of AEI, was also attended by Former


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...Chair Tsai Ing-wens US trip

President of the World Bank and current VisitingFellow at AEI Paul Wolfowitz and Chairman ofthe American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) RaymondBurghardt. In her speech, Tsai discussed the newly-released 10 Year Policy Platform, which she indi-cated was a product of intense discussions amongformer DPP cabinet ministers, advisors and aca-demics.

We are operating in a more complex globalenvironment than ever before... Domestically, al-though our GDP has shown some positive growthnumbers since the financial crisis a couple ofyears ago, like here in the US, we have a crisis ofescalating government debt, the loss of jobs, and agrowing wealth disparity where the average in-come for the working person is actually declin-ing. She also stressed that pragmatism, diligenceand creativity of the Taiwanese people are major

contributors to overcoming these global chal-lenges. In regards to US relations, Tsai said that in herview, the US serves as Taiwans most importantand reliable partner in international relations. Shefurther emphasized the need to rebuild strategicconfidence and reinforce the strategic partnershipwhen engaging with the US. Tsai also said the DPP supports the need forTaiwan to defend itself and looked forward to adecision by the US to provide Taiwan with ad-vanced defense systems. Although Taiwan expects

the US to be more proactive in regional security

affairs, Tsai said Taiwan must also play an impor-tant role. The people of Taiwan and the DPP will con-tinue to play our part in nurturing the strategicpartnership, she said. Tsai then pointed out the DPPs China Policy,in which she said the main goal for the DPP inmanaging the China relationship was to maintaina peaceful and stable environment so that the Tai-wanese people can have the opportunities to de-velop a prosperous economy while preserving ourhard-won political freedoms and way of living. She further mentioned that the DPPs approachto China will be stable and balanced.


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As a responsible political party, our policymust be in line with the mainstream consensus inour society as well as international expectations,and therefore, we will refrain from extreme orradical approaches.

Meeting Members of House and Senate

At a reception organized by the Formosan Asso-

ciation of Public Affairs (FAPA), the DPP delega-

tion visited with members of the US Congress at

Capitol Hill on Sept. 14. In the reception, Chair-

woman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee

Ileana Ros Lehtinen praised Taiwans democracy

in her speech and delivered a US flag as a gift for

Chair Tsai.Representative Ros Lehtinen also announced

the introduction of a new legislation that would

strengthen US-Taiwan relations, especially con-

cerning the sale of advanced weaponry to Taiwan.

In regards to the new legislation, Ms. Ros

Lehtinen explained, It calls for Taiwan to be pro-

vided with the next generation of F-16 fighters to

defend the skies over the Taiwan Strait.

Attending the reception were members of con-

gress Howard Coble (R-NC), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Robert Andrews

(D-NJ), Dan Lungren (R-CA), Gary

Ackerman (D-NY), Howard Berman(D-CA), Ileana Ros Lehtinen (R-FL),

Randy Forbes (R-VA), Dan Burton

(R-IN), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Ed

Royce (R-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY),

Jean Schmidt (R-OH), Gregorio Sa-

blan (D-Marianas), Paul Tonko (D-

NY), Al Green (D-TX) and Sheila

Jackson-Lee (D-TX). Senators Daniel

Inouye (D-HI) and Sherrod Brown

(D-OH) were also present at the re-

ception.

In her speech, Tsai laid out the

Taiwan consensus, which she said it

will be part of Taiwans democratic process to

form a basis for cross-strait talks and discussions

with any and all others as equal partners.

Earlier in the day, Chair Tsai visited the Dirk-

sen Senate Office Building and sat with Senators

John McCain (R-AZ), Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT),

Mark Kirk (R-IL), Jim Webb (D-VA) and Robert

Menendez (D-NJ).

Meeting US officials

During the two day visit to Washington, D.C., sev-

eral DPP foreign policy advisors and Chair Tsai

met with US officials to exchange views on US-

Taiwan relations, cross strait relations, and the

DPPs future handling of its China policy.

Spokesperson Bikhim Hsiao said the officials

they met with included members of the State De-

partment, the Department of Defense, the United

States Trade Representative Office (USTR) and

the National Security Council.

We will not discuss the content of the discus-

sions, Spokesperson Hsiao said. However, the

US side has arranged these meetings based on ad-

ministrative neutrality and their desire to continue

close communications with both political parties


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as well as their concern about Taiwans elections

and the handling of policies from both sides.

Spokesperson Chen Chi-mai said Chair Tsai was

able to show her capability in handing stability

across the Taiwan Strait during the meetings with

US officials. Additionally, they expressed their

standpoint of not interfering in Taiwans elections,

and they also clearly conveyed their desire to con-

tinue cooperation in various issues with the future

presidential winner.

Meeting DPP-DC supporters

DPP supporters residing in Washington, D.C.hosted a rally-style reception for Chair Tsai on the

evening of Sept. 14. Approximately 500 support-ers attended the rally, and a DPP supporter sur-prised the audience by buying for US$23,000 aTsai Ing-wen poster that was printed when she ranas New Taipei City mayor last year. Tsai announced the DPPs grassroots efforts notonly in Taiwan nationwide, but also in differentparts of the world. She also said that she has visited Washington,D.C. more than a hundred times since she was a

college student, but this time, she came as a presi-dential candidate and that once she has made the

decision to run for president, sheknew that she had to definitelywin the election. Elections is not just a peri-odical call and politics is not justto vote, she said. The futuregovernment is for everyone toshare, and the era for one personto make decisions for everyonehas ended. We are now a democ-racy, and therefore, we must allparticipate in making policy.

Boston

At the invitation of Professor Dr.Steven Goldstein, Convener of

the Taiwan Studies Workshop at Harvard Univer-sitys Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Tsaidelivered a speech titled, Policy Challenges,Choices and Democratic Governance in front ofmore than 270 university students, professors andmembers of the general public.

In her speech, Tsai expressed excitement at theopportunity of exchanging ideas with the nextgeneration of future policy leaders. She discussedthe role of government to assist young people andcreating better prospects for the future generation. Our young people, in particular, are deeplyanxious about their future, and the assumption that


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a good education and training will secure adecently-paying job and lifestyle no longer holds.This concerns me deeply, for I believe that theconfidence of the younger generation to exploreand innovate is essential for our countrys continu-ing development. She also spoke about the historical context thatled Taiwan to a democracy, and the challengesTaiwan currently faces in democracy strengthen-ing. We are a young democracy, and having theright to freely select our leaders and to determine

our own future through the democratic vote is only

a recent phenomenon,with vulnerabilities subject

to internal and external challenges. Further explaining that the external challengesto Taiwans democracy originated from across theStrait, she discussed Chinas interference in Tai-wans elections and their continued military ag-gression against Taiwan. She also expressed con-cern over Chinas human rights record and theirpolitical persecutions of activists such as Ai Wei-wei and Liu Xiaobo. Nevertheless, she insisted even though Chinadenied the right of the Taiwanese people to decide

their own future, the DPP continues to wish forengaging dialogue with China. While we insist on upholding our democraticrights in Taiwan and protecting the independenceof our sovereignty, the DPP and the Taiwanesepeople harbor no animosity toward the people ofChina. After her speech, a Q&A followed, and mem-bers of the audience asked questions regarding theDPPs social welfare policies, US-Taiwan rela-tions and cross strait issues. Among those thatasked questions, a Chinese student asked Tsai

whether a project of democratization in China likethat of Taiwan would en-courage the Taiwanesepeople to identify morewith China and Chinesesocial heritage. I think that is part ofthe view, she responded.When China becomes ademocracy, I think theTaiwanese people will

feel more comfortableand more at ease. I guessthe important thing is thatChina would have to de-velop itself and share theuniversal values withothers, and then this iswhat we call by buildingcommonalities. My posi-tion is that the future rela-

tionship with China, I would like to leave itopen..., but the decision is for the Taiwanese peo-ple to make.

New York, Houston, San Francisco,

Los Angeles

The remaining part of the US trip resembled moreof a whirlwind tour. The itineraries for each cityinvolved only visits with DPP supporters and stay-

ing less than an entire day or just one night in eachstop.


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SEPTEMBER 2011

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In Queens, New York, Tsai spoke at a rally or-ganized by the DPPs US-Eastern Branch, withapproximately 800 people showing to support thepresidential candidate. The following day, in the early hours of themorning, the delegation flew to Houston, Texas,where approximately 700 people were present. Atthe reception, a newly formed association of over-seas Taiwanese students in Texas pledged theirsupport for Tsai. In the evening, the delegation then flew to SanFrancisco and met up with 1,200 supporters at the

rally prepared for the DPP chair. Accompanied byher sister, Tsai Feng-Chiao, Chair Tsai spoke indetail about her policy standpoint, the TaiwanConsensus, which she said was the right step forTaiwan to take. The last leg of the US trip was the city of LosAngeles, where 3,000 supporters showed up at arally at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Later on, afundraising dinner was held, and accompanied byher siblings, Tsai Ying-Ru and Tsai Ying-Cheng,Chair Tsai told personal stories of their childhood.

The evening was a success, filled with music com-posed by Tsais sister, who is a renown musician.

Tsai told the audience that the best gift her fa-ther left for her was her siblings, which made herpolitical career less lonely. She also said that sinceshe has become DPP chair, she has counted on thesupport of the people to raise the DPP from its set-backs by bringing the party out of debt throughsmall contributions from supporters all over theworld.


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DPP holds 25th Anniversary Celebrations in Taichung

The DPPs 25th Anniversary Rally was held in

Taichung this year in order to show the DPPs

bond with the middle part of Taiwan, a key cam-

paign area for the next election. The main themeof this years anniversary party also showcased the

partys progressive spirit, promoting the DPP as

the first party to have a female candidate for next

years presidential elections.

With seating only up to 4,000, most of the

crowd ended up standing around the center stage

just to catch a glimpse

of the actions on stage.An estimated 30,000

people attended the

rally.

The usual traditional

food stands were seen

everywhere around and

outside of the venue,

along with vendors and

non-government or-

ganizations preparingfood and artifacts for

sale. The popularity of

Tsai Ing-wen resulted

in over-crowding stands

selling the presidential

candidates related ac-

cessories and clothing, ranging from T-shirts to

perfume. During the rally, the DPP also launched a

new music album titled Ing-Wen Songs.

The overall theme of the rally was focused ontopics about women, with special emphasis on get-

ting the crowd to realize the significance of the

first female president in the history of Taiwans

democracy. This symbolizes progress, as most of

the guest speakers mentioned. Although most

guest speakers were women as part of the theme,

Former Premiers Yu Shyi-kun, Frank

Hsieh, and Su Tseng-Chang were also pre-

sent to give their support for the female

candidate.The rally was a great success, as the

event went by smoothly without any dis-

turbances. DPPs event in Taichung really

portrayed what the party has been empha-

sizing in the past, that grassroots power,

should not be underestimated, as most of

the crowd was the heart and soul of DPPs

support.


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DEMOCRACY &

PROGRESS

PUBLISHED BY:

Department of InternationalAffairs DemocraticProgressive Party

9F, No. 30, Pei-Ping EastRoad, Taipei, Taiwan

Tel: 886-2-2392-9989 ext. 306

Fax: 886-2-2393-0342

Email: [email protected]

Website:

http://www.dpp.org.tw

DIRECTOR:

Bikhim Hsiao

DEPUTY DIRECTOR:

Hsieh Huai-hui

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:

Michael J. Fonte

EDITOR:

Ping-Ya Hsu

STAFF WRITERS:David Huang, Vicky Sun

DPP Chair and Presidential Candidate Tsai Ing-wen spoke at the

DPPs annual diplomatic reception, the first of such events since

2008, in celebration of the partys 25th anniversary.

Tsai was joined by Secretary General and Candidate for Vice

President Su Jia-Chyuan, along with DPP Founder and Former

Examination Yuan President Yao Chia-wen, his wife, Former

Legislator Chou Ching-yu and Former DPP Chair and Premier

Frank Hsieh. The reception was held at the W Hotel in Taipeis

Hsinyi District.

Guests at the event included ambassadors, representatives and

directors from various embassies and trade and economic offices

along with various members from the academia and media. Ap-

proximately one hundred people attended the event and most ar-

rivals were greeted personally by Bikhim Hsiao, Vice President

of the DPPs think tank, the New Frontier Foundation.

Chair Tsais speech, conducted wholly in English, opened

with a brief introduction of the partys history since its estab-

lishment on Sept. 28, 1986, touching on the DPPs commitment

to bettering the lives of the Taiwanese people and to democracy.

She also stressed the unwavering determination of the party to

stand firm in its position, despite the challenges it has faced, and

its readiness to govern the island of Taiwan once more.

We believe that the way for the DPP to win in 2012 is not

just by criticizing the current governments incompetence, she

said.

Instead, we shall win by convincing the people that we are

more competent and mature than the KMT.

Tsai also emphasized that whether Taiwan is in the middle ofelections or not, she affirmed that under her leadership, the DPP

will continue to be a transparent and open political party.

Having recently travelled to Europe, Southeast Asia and the

US, Chair Tsai has participated in various meetings and confer-

ences concerning democracy, human rights and regional security,

as well as climate and energy issues. From Oct. 1, Chair Tsai and

her team will be traveling to Japan as a continued show of sup-

port in Taiwan-Japan regional cooperation.

DPP hosts 25h Anniversary Recep-tion for foreign diplomats,

representatives
http://www.dpp.org.tw/http://www.dpp.org.tw/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

dpp newsletter sept2011

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