[Politics] Foreign Media Concerned About Taiwan's Internal Political Divisions; President: Will Not Give Up Seeking Cooperation with Opposition Parties
bellala 央廣4h agoEdited
President Lai Ching-te held a tea reception with foreign media on the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival. Some foreign media expressed concern about Taiwan's internal political divisions and whether the president's lack of formal meetings with major party leaders would hinder the promotion of "cross-party leader dialogues" to resolve the current political stalemate. In response, the president stated that the trust between the ruling and opposition parties is currently insufficient, but as president, he will not give up seeking cooperation with the opposition parties. He also believes that if both ruling and opposition parties prioritize national interests and the rights and welfare of the people, it will be beneficial for the nation in facing various challenges.
President Lai Ching-te held a tea reception with foreign media stationed in Taiwan on the morning of the 18th. The Presidential Office issued a press release on the 19th, stating that during the reception, the president responded point by point to media inquiries regarding Taiwan's national security laws and regulations, US arms sales to Taiwan, maritime economic zone issues, cross-party dialogue, Taiwan-Japan cooperation, and cross-strait relations.
Among the questions, foreign media asked whether the international community's significant concern over Taiwan's internal political divisions affects Taiwan's democratic resilience and social cohesion in the face of external hostile forces. They also inquired whether President Lai would proactively promote "cross-party leader dialogues" to resolve the current political stalemate, given that major party leaders have not yet formally met since his inauguration and the opposition and ruling parties' confrontation in the Legislative Yuan has stalled some policy agendas.
In response, the president stated, "Unity is strength." If Taiwan's ruling and opposition parties can reach a consensus and prioritize national interests and the rights and welfare of the people, it will be very helpful for the nation in facing various challenges.
The president also explained the ruling party's predicament of having a minority in the legislature ("朝小野大"). He noted that in the 2024 presidential and legislative elections, the Democratic Progressive Party won the presidency, responsible for administrative implementation, while opposition parties won a majority in the legislature, dominating the legislative body. He suggested this might be the beginning of a new situation, but "currently, the trust between the ruling and opposition parties is actually insufficient. This is why the cooperation I hoped to promote with the opposition parties over the past two years has not been successful."
The president mentioned that last year he had proactively invited opposition party leaders to attend a national security briefing by national security units, but unfortunately, both opposition party chairmen declined. During the Lunar New Year this year, the Presidential Office convened a tea reception with the heads of the five branches of government, including the Legislative Yuan, Executive Yuan, Examination Yuan, Control Yuan, and Judicial Yuan, all of whom attended. At that time, a consensus was reached that the Speaker of the Legislative Yuan would invite him to deliver a state of the nation report to the Legislative Yuan. He hoped that through this report, he could personally explain major national policies and hear the opinions of legislators. He saw this as a first step towards cross-party interaction and even cooperation, but unfortunately, it did not proceed smoothly.
However, the president also stated, "As president, I will not change or give up my efforts to seek cooperation with the opposition parties." He added, "Parties can compete, but national interests cannot be sacrificed. I hope the ruling and opposition parties can unite for the future development of the nation, and I will strive to have good interaction and cooperation with the opposition parties based on this principle." (Editor: Chung Chin-lung)
Further Reading:
Foreign Media Highly Concerned About Taiwan Issues; President Lai's Tea Reception with Foreign Media Reveals "Three Unchanged" Stances
President: "US Security Commitment to Taiwan Unchanged" Amid High Hopes for Arms Sales
President: Taiwan Willing to Respond to G7's Call to Maintain Peace in the Taiwan Strait; Urges China to Abandon Use of Force Against Taiwan
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=215536
How does this article make you feel?
0 people reacted