Su Tseng-chang's Struggle Campaign Sells Out Taiwan

Su Tseng-chang's Struggle Campaign Sells Out Taiwan
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China)
A Translation
October 16, 2013

Summary: Yesterday in the Legislative Yuan, the DPP legislative caucus demanded a no confidence vote against the premier. The DPP's call for a no confidence vote, the third in ROC history, failed. According to the constitution, the Legislative Yuan cannot demand another no confidence vote for one year. The Green Camp may pretend it scored a victory. But this political farce has gone on long enough. It is time to ring the curtain down.

Full text below:

Yesterday in the Legislative Yuan, the DPP legislative caucus demanded a no confidence vote against the premier. The move was not unexpected. The Green Camp aggressively mobilized, both inside and outside the Legislative Yuan. But the KMT legislative caucus had already reached a consensus. The DPP's call for a no confidence vote, the third in ROC history, failed. According to the constitution, the Legislative Yuan cannot demand another no confidence vote for one year. The Green Camp may pretend it scored a victory. But this political farce has gone on long enough. It is time to ring the curtain down.

On the eve of the no confidence vote, Premier Chiang issued a public statement entitled "Taiwan's future cannot wait." It was his response to the proposed no-confidence vote against the cabinet. Chiang established a national precedent by taking his case to the public in the face of a no confidence vote. Premier Chiang said the spotlight should be shifted away from political struggle, and redirected toward public welfare. He said that Taiwan is divided by political differences. These differences have undermined economic development. He said too much energy is expended dealing with political conflict. The ruling and opposition parties have not been able to establish a rational and benign relationship. Premier Chiang said this opposition has spread to civil society and the economy. It has weakened Taiwan's cohesion. It has led to the loss of economic opportunities.

Premier Chiang is not an alarmist. Premier Chiang is not merely defending himself against the no confidence vote. The KMT legislative caucus has regrouped. Wang Jin-pyng has expressed support for Premier Chiang. The DPP motion for a no confidence vote was doomed, reduced to political theater. Political turmoil has prevailed for over 30 days. We must now get back to basics. What does Taiwan need the most? Never-ending political power struggle? Or regained competitiveness? What should the legislature's highest priority be? Premier Chiang's apology? Or stacks of pending bills? If Taiwan remains mired in eternal struggle, who will be the real losers? The ruling and opposition parties? Or Taiwan as a whole?

Premier Chiang was absolutely right. This is an era of globalization. Our East Asian neighbors are eager for regional economic integration, tariff reduction, the open flow of people and capital, and the creation of economic prosperity and employment opportunities. The recently adjourned East Asian multilateral summit communicated just such a message. But here on Taiwan, internal and external conditions remained unfavorable. We remain mired in ongoing disputes and delays. Meanwhile, other countries and regions sign free trade agreements. We have forfeited desperately needed opportunities to ensure our international competitiveness. Premier Chiang cited TISA, the Cross-Strait Trade in Services Agreement. This is an agreement whose advantages clearly outweigh any disadvantages. It enables us to seize the Mainland market before Japan and South Korea. Yet three months have gone by, and we still do not know when it will be passed by the legislature. Other agreements, such as the Taiwan New Zealand Economic Partnership Agreement, and the Free Trade Zone Pilot Program, all remain stalled. When Taiwan's competitiveness has been undermined, will it still matter who wins the political struggle?

Today's Taiwan needs a little more public policy and a little less political calculation. We appeal to Wang Jin-pyng. The criminal justice system has let you off the hook. President Ma has backed off also. You have already expressed support for Premier Chiang. Yesterday's vote of no confidence has been considered, according to the wishes of the DPP. You are the Speaker of the Legislature. You occupy a position of influence. Seize the initiative. Get the agenda back on track. Complete the review of important bills, as soon as possible. The distorted political consultation mechanism of the past is no longer viable. This is not about helping the ruling party. This is not about helping President Ma, or Premier Chiang. This is about helping Taiwan.

Finally, we would like to offer this reminder to the DPP. Beginning on September 17, your party accused Chiang Yi-hua of "destroying the constitution and creating political chaos." Yourr party has cited "no apology, no address" as grounds for its obstructionism. Your party has prevented Premier Chiang from addressing the legislature six times. Your party has deadlocked  the legislature for 30 days, for no reason. Your party has already demonstrated its ability to obstruct the legislative process. Today the results of your party's no confidence vote has been announced. Your party has already saved face. It has already thrown its temper tantrum. It is now time to quit while it is ahead. Consider leaving well enough alone. Return to your role as an opposition party whose role it is to provide checks and balances.

The DPP legislative caucus whip has acted self-righteously from beginning to end. We found this inexplicable. Did this not all begin with illegal influence peddling? No plausible justification for his conduct has been offered. Ker continues to stand on the front lines, engaging in empty bluster. Is your party really indifferent to right and wrong? We were appalled by DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang's declarations to the media. He asserted that even though the DPP's call for a no confidence vote was defeated, Premier Chiang still cannot address the legislature, because he never "apologized and admitted wrongdoing." Therefore he must "resign and step down." Is this really what the DPP considers the upshot of the vote? If so, we must say this is not a political party the people can trust. The people have said repeatedly that they are fed up with political struggles. Yet Chairman Su insists on continued struggle. This is not "love for Taiwan." This is "selling out Taiwan."

社論－蘇貞昌堅持鬥爭 就是賣台
稍後再讀
中國時報 本報訊 2013年10月16日 04:10

立法院昨天記名投票表決民進黨立法院黨團對行政院長提不信任案（倒閣案），不出外界先前預料，由於國民黨立院黨團已凝聚共識，儘管綠營在立院場內外都積極動員，這場由民進黨發動，中華民國憲政史上第3度搬演的倒閣案依舊未獲通過，依憲法增修條文規定，立法院1年內不得再提倒閣案。不論綠營如何在記者會上宣示他們的阿Ｑ式精神勝利法，這場政治鬧劇走到此刻，也真的該落幕了！

趕在倒閣案表決的前夕，江揆以「台灣的未來不能等」為名發表公開聲明，回應立院所提對內閣不信任案，創下閣揆以訴諸全民形式回應倒閣的先例。江揆在聲明中，將議題主軸從政爭拉回到了民生，強調現時台灣由於政治對立導致人心分歧，影響了經濟發展的步調，有太多的精力耗費在處理政治衝突上，朝野之間沒法建立理性、良性的互動方式。江揆強調這種對立如今已延伸到社會經濟層面，不僅台灣的凝聚力減弱，更讓經濟發展的機會一點一滴流失。

我們並不認為這是江揆在危言聳聽，也不認為是江揆為因應倒閣所祭出的危機處理措施，在執政黨立院黨團已完成整合，加之王金平表態挺江之後，民進黨的倒閣操作，早註定將淪為政治秀收場。而在政治紛擾30餘天之後，此時此刻我們倒是真的該回歸基本面思考一下，台灣當下最需關注的重點，是永無休止的延長政爭權鬥？還是重拾早已流失的競爭力？立院當下的急務，究竟是江揆有無道歉，還是堆積如山的待審法案？將台灣永恆凍結在爭鬥的惡性循環中，真正的輸家，是朝野政黨？還是整個台灣？

江揆一點都沒說錯，在這個全球化的時代，鄰近東亞所有的國家都在急切進行區域經濟整合，彼此減免關稅、開放人員與資金的流通，共創經濟繁榮與就業機會，剛結束的東亞多邊峰會，傳遞出的全是這些訊息。可只有台灣，內外在條件早就不利了，卻還持續陷在內部意見爭執的氛圍中，遲遲無法與其他國家或地區簽訂自由貿易協定，坐失國際競爭最需要的時機。江揆直接點出《兩岸服務貿易協議》為例，這明明是一個利大於弊、可以搶在日韓之前攻占大陸市場的協議，卻眼睜睜看著3個月的時間流逝，至今未知何時可在國會獲得通過。其它如台紐經濟合作協定、自由經濟示範區特別條例等，也全被拖了下來。當台灣的競爭力全都被拖垮了，試問誰在政爭中鬥贏鬥輸，又有何實質意義呢？

如果大家都同意，現時的台灣，應該多些政策關懷，少些政治算計，那麼我們就要誠懇的呼籲王金平，既然司法都還公道了，馬總統也釋出善意了，加之先前都已經公開表態挺江揆了，更在昨天的不信任案表決時依黨意投票了，接下來就請表現出國會議長該有的高度與影響力，主動將議程拉回正軌，盡速完成所有重要法案的審查吧！過去那種畸形政黨協商機制，真的不要再玩了。我們必須強調，這不是在幫執政黨，也不是在幫馬總統或江揆，這是在幫台灣！

我們也要在最後提醒民進黨，從9月17日開議至今，貴黨一路指控江宜樺毀憲亂政，以「不道歉、不上台」為由橫加杯葛，導致江揆施政報告6度受阻，讓國會平白空轉了30天，已經足夠充分展現反對黨的杯葛實力了！如今倒閣案記名投票表決的結果已經出來了，這已經是很好的下台階了，是不是也算鬧夠了，該見好就收，考量就此適可而止，重回在野政策制衡的主軸了吧！

坦白說，我們對民進黨立院總召柯建銘一路走來都這麼理直氣壯，有些莫名所以，如今這一切不都從他非法關說開始的嗎？如今連個像樣的說法都沒交代，卻還每天站在第一線夸夸而談，這個黨真的全不講是非了嗎？我們也對民進黨主席蘇貞昌先前接受媒體專訪時的表態非常不以為然，他聲稱就算倒閣案遭否決，江揆不能上台的原因也依舊沒消失，因為他始終沒道歉認錯，所以還是不可以上台，而是應該下台。如果這就是民進黨對此次倒閣表決結果的最終結論，那麼我們必須要說，這確實不是一個人民值得託付的政黨！當全民都對政爭紛擾已經一再表達受夠了，蘇主席卻堅持無謂的鬥爭，這種行徑不是愛台灣，是在出賣台灣。