dpp newsletter june2012

7/31/2019 DPP Newsletter June2012

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JUNE 2012

PAGE 1

DEMOCRACY & PROGRESS

DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang visitsLegislative Yuan

On the first week of June, DPP Chair Su Tseng-

chang paid a visit to the Legislative Yuan in his

capacity as chair of the party. He exchanged views

with Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pying

and delivered a speech in front of members of the

DPP Legislative Caucus.

The new session of the Legislative Yuan started

on February 1st. The DPPs forty legislators have

set their eyes on representing the voices of the

Taiwanese public despite the KMT having major-

ity.

Chair Su praised the DPP Legislative Caucus

for improving the DPPs image, and for protecting

the interests of the Taiwanese public.

Chair Su explained that the purpose of visiting

the Legislative Yuan this time was to express his

gratitude to DPP legislators on behalf of the party,

also conveying his wishes to see greater coopera-

tion between the party and the legislature.

I look forward to the DPP Headquarters andour Legislative Caucus in working together and

combine the power of policy and think tanks in

order to make the DPP become greater and better

in fulfilling the expectations of the people, he

said.

In his speech to the DPPs Legislative Caucus,

Chair Su said that he believed the government in

power has the responsibility to resolve the peo-

ples sufferings and difficulties.


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JUNE 2012

PAGE 2

He observed it was regretful that society is cur-

rently in chaos with ministers stepping down, in-

vestors lacking confidence to invest, and the po-

litical situation showing instability. This, he said,

is the result of failed policy mistakes by the gov-

ernment, which has made the public have doubts

on the Ma Administrations capabilities.

Chair Su also ensured DPP legislators that he

was well aware of the responsibilities that the DPP

needed to fulfill as the largest opposition party in

Taiwan.

He said extra efforts were needed to review the

current policy changes proposed by the Ma Ying-

jeou Administration that are causing uneasiness

not only among the general public, but also in the

private sector. He was referring to the govern-

ments announcement on the dual increase in oil

and electricity prices, the introduction of a capital

gains tax on securities transactions, the opening of

imports of beef containing ractopamine as well as

inappropriate nominations to the National Com-

munications Commission (NCC).

In regards to the opening of beef containing

ractopamine, Chair Su said the DPP Headquarters

absolutely supported the proposal by the DPPs

Legislative Caucus on a zero-tolerance to racto-

pamine, which follows the same guidelines as

those imposed by the EU. He encouraged DPP

legislators to stand with the public and protect and

promote health and food safety.

During this times visit to the Legislative Yuan,

Chair Su was accompanied by Secretary-General

Lin Hsi-yao; Deputy Secretary Generals Lee

Chun-yi and Lin Yu-chang; Policy Research

Committee Executive Director Joseph Wu and

Deputy Director Huang Chih-tah, also from the

Policy Research Committee.


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Torrential rain lashes Taiwan, DPP Chair

Su Tseng-

chang urges KMT to prioritizerelief

On June 12, DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang visited

the South, stopping in Tainan City, Kaohsiung

City and Pintung County, areas where torrential

rains have caused major disruptions with land-

slides and flooding.

Chair Su exchanged ideas with Tainan City

Mayor Lai Ching-te, Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen

Chu and Governor Tsao Chi-hung from Pintung

County. Chair Su used his his experience as for-

mer governor of two counties and as premier of

Taiwan to discuss what the government can do in

cases of major flooding.

At the same time, Chair Su appealed the KMT

to prioritize relief for the victims affected by the

torrential rains. The KMT Legislative Caucus

continued to insist on continuing the legislative

session to deal with the dispute of US beef, de-

spite the urgent need for more attention to the

natural disaster at hand.

Flooding and flooding prevention is a biparti-

san issue, he said. Therefore, the DPP abso-

lutely supports any initiative by the government to

implement reconstruction and ease the peoples

suffering.

Chair Su urged the KMT Legislative Caucus to

call for a temporary recess in order for the legisla-

tors representing the affected areas return and help

those in need. He strongly emphasized that disas-


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...torrential rain lashes Taiwan

ter relief took priority over the US beef importa-

tion issue even though the DPP was still con-cerned over public health.

In Tainan City, Chair Su accompanied Mayor

Lai Ching-te in visiting districts affected by flood-

ing and mudslides.

The following day, Chair Su presided over the

DPPs Central Standing Committee Meeting, fo-

cusing on the DPPs efforts in helping victims af-

fected by the rain.

Chair Su said it was regrettable that the KMT

legislature was unwilling to call a recess. He said

that since DPP legislators were unable to return to

their represented areas in order to assist the relief

effort, he urged DPP administrators in cities andcounties to exert all efforts in the relief.

The DPPs Central Standing Committee discussed

the current medical conditions of Former President

Chen Shui-bian on June 27, passing a resolution

that calls for his release in order to obtain the ap-

propriate medical treatment.

Mr. Ko Wen-je, director, Department of Trauma-

tology, National Taiwan University Hospital, wasinvited as guest speaker to deliver a report regard-

ing Former President Chens present health condi-

tions.

After the meeting, DPP Spokesperson Lin Chun-

hsian announced that the DPPs Central Standing

Committee passed the resolution in order to make a

call for civic groups to actively rally for the case.

DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang has said that every-

ones objective should be unanimous, which is to

combine our actions into something powerful!

Spokesperson Lin said. Chair Su has also ex-

pressed concerns over the health status of Former

President Chen, having already visited him twice,

and repeatedly calling on the government to release

him on medical parole.

Spokesperson Lin said that at this times Central

Standing Committee Meeting, Chair Su said that

the DPP has been paying close attention to the

medical conditions of Former President Chen. Be-

fore Chair Su assumed the chairmanship, Acting

Chair Chen Chu, who presided over the Central

Standing Committee meetings of March 28 and

April 11, twice appealed for the government to con-

DPP passes resolution urging Former Presi-dent Chen Shui-bians release for medical

treatment


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JUNE 2012

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... Former President Chen Shui-bian

sider the humanitarian treatment of Former Presi-

dent Chen.

Chair Su has further said that a great deal of con-

troversy and confrontation among society could be

aroused if Former President Chen encounters any

negligence while in prison. He said that it might be

possible that Former President Chens health has

deteriorated from his current living conditions, and

he further appealed for his release mainly because

of health reasons.

Lastly, Chair Su made an appeal to the public to

look at the issue from a broader perspective.

If this matter can be satisfactorily resolved, I be-

lieve Taiwan will be able to progress further, said

Chair Su.

Close to the end of June, Next Media Magazine re-

ported a bribery scandal involving Executive Yuan

Secretary General Lin Yi-shih, a protg of Presi-

dent Ma Ying-jeou considered to be a promising

star in his cabinet team.

Lin Yi-shih started his political career as part ofthe KMTs Youth Committee, and then served as

the KMTs vice chairman and executive director of

the Policy Committee, posts considered to be admi-

rable serving for his young age. After Lin lost his

bid for re-election as legislator this year, he was

appointed to become the secretary general of the

Executive Yuan under Premier Chen Chong.

Responding to the Next Media report, DPP

Spokesperson Lin Chun-hsian held a press confer-ence on June 27, making a strong demand to Presi-

dent Ma Ying-jeou to act immediately against cor-

ruption. Spokesperson Lin also urged the authori-

ties to turn over Lin Yi-shihs case to the legal sys-

tem.

Spokesperson Lin said, President Ma Ying-jeou

concluded his first term with labels of incompe-

tence and constant apology, and now his first term

has started with allegations of corruption. We

strongly appeal President Ma to request the resigna-

tion of Mr. Lin and send his case to the legal

authorities.

Spokesperson Lin also said that President Ma

Ying-jeou has claimed honesty to be one of his

administrations most outstanding characteristics,but as this scandal broke out, it is questionable

whether President Ma has any grasp of his adminis-

trative team, showing further incompetence.

Spokesperson Lin lastly commented that this scan-

dal will not only make President Ma Ying-jeou

loose credibility among the general public, but also

among his party.

DPP demands President Ma Ying-

jeou to actagainst corruption in his administration


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KMT Administration makes false statements aboutDPPs stand on US beef

President Ma Ying-jeous Administration hasbeen making false statements about the way the

former DPP Administration handled US beef im-

ports.

On June 17, Executive Yuan Spokesperson Hu

Yu-wei said that the Taiwanese people have al-

ready consumed 10,000 tons of US beef as a re-

sult of the then-DPP Administration allowing the

importation of US beef.

On June 18, DPP Spokesperson Lin Chun-

hsian issued a statement reiterating the DPPs

consistent position regarding US beef.

The DPP is not anti-US beef or anti-U.S. he

said. The only issue that the DPP is opposed is

the domestic use and importation of any livestock

that has consumed the ractopamine drug.

DPP Spokesperson Lin said that the DPPs

policy toward US beef has been consistent, and

on the contrary, it is President Ma who has been

flip-flopping on the issue. He said that in Octo-

ber 2006, the then-DPP Administration had issued

an executive order banning ractopamine-laced

beef, and the DPP continues to stand by this posi-

tion. On the contrary, President Ma has clearly

shown a change in policy since re-assuming the

presidency, he said.

Before President Ma assumed office in 2008,

his campaign policy showed that he was against

the allowance of ractopamine meat imports, in

order to protect public health as well as the do-

mestic pig farming industry. Additionally, during

the four years of President Mas Administration

from 2008 to 2012, there had been no talks about

reversing the ban on ractopamine. Spokesperson

Lin questioned the sudden change in President

Mas policy since re-assuming office in 2012.

Providing the example of the KMTs previousstance, DPP Spokesperson Lin cited literature

published in a statement issued on August 20,

2007 in the Ma-Hsiao Campaign website. The

statement read:

It is the governments mission to protect pub-

lic health. The entire world, including the EU and

160 countries, ban the use of ractopamine, and

this is also supported by our domestic pig farming

industry. We are willing to shoulder the responsi-bility of protecting consumer interests. Why

should the government ignore the threat of racto-

pamine and lift this ban?

Additionally, DPP Spokesperson Lin said that

President Ma had also previously stated, From

the perspectives of either the health interests of

23 million consumers or the NT60 billion pig

farming industry, banning ractopamine fulfills the

WTO principles of national treatment. In regards

to allowing the importation of ractopamine-laced

pork and forbidding domestic pig farmers from

using the drug is a one country, two systems

formula, for which we cannot identify with.

DPP Spokesperson Lin emphasized that Presi-

dent Ma, who previously opposed ractopamine, is

now unethically pushing the Legislative Yuan to

change this policy, requesting them to hold a pro-

visional session solely to deal with this issue

when other pressing matters are more important

for the nation.


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JUNE 2012

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CALD, LI congratulate DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang

The President of Liberal International, Mr. Hans

van Baalen, MEP, and Council of Asian Liberals

and Democrats (CALD) Chair, Mr. Sam Rainsy,

MP, sent letters congratulating Chair Su Tseng-

chang as the head of the DPP.

In his letter to Chair Su, Mr. van Baalen says,

Liberal International has continuously and ex-plicitly supported the exclusive right of the Tai-

wanese to decide on their future. I was very much

inspired by the ambitions to secure a better future

for Taiwan that you put forward in your inaugura-

tion speech.

Mr. van Baalen also emphasized, The sover-

eign right of the Taiwanese people to determine

their own future in freedom, the fair and equal

extension of social justice to all and the assuranceof development in a way that is sustainable and

responsible for all generations are important is-

sues that are central to the betterment of the qual-

ity of life in Taiwan.

Concluding his letter, Mr. van Baalen extended

an invitation for Chair Su to attend the upcoming

58th Congress, which will be held in October of

this year in Cte dIvoire.

In the CALD congratulatory letter, CALD

Chair Sam Rainsy wrote, We are confident that

with your proven competence and experience as

founding DPP member and former Premier, you

would be able [to] sustain and build on the gains

of former DPP Chair Tsai Ing-wen, towards a

stronger DPP that is ready to take the helm of

power and implement a programme of govern-

ment that trulycaters to the in-

... continued on the next page


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JUNE 2012

PAGE 8

terests of Taiwanese people.

The DPP is a founding member of CALD,

which was established in 1993. Member parties

of CALD include the Liberal Party of the Philip-

pines, the Democrat Party of Thailand, the Civil

Will Party of Mongolia, the Parti Gerakan Rakyat

of Malaysia and the Singapore Democratic Party.

The DPP joined LI in 1988, and members of

LI include the Liberal Democrats of the UK, the

Free Democratic Party of Germany, the Liberal

Party of Canada and the Democratic Alliance of

South Africa, among others.

DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang sends letter to Daw AungSan Suu Kyi expressing full support to democratizationin Burma

Commemorating the first time overseas trip by

Burmas democracy activist and MP Ms. Aung

San Suu Kyi since her arrival to Burma, ensu-

ing house arrest and recently elected member

of parliament, DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang sent

a letter of support to Ms. Suu Kyi. In his letter,

Chair Su sent his best wishes for her role in a

safe and democratic transition for Burma.

Chair Su also congratulated Ms. Suu Kyi on

her recent trip to Oslo, where she accepted in

person the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize that

was awarded to her in absentia in 1991.

I wanted to convey to you our utmost ad-

miration to your remarkable commitment to

promoting freedom and democracy in Burma

throughout the years, wrote Chair Su in the

letter. Your courage and tireless efforts havelead to a new era in Burmas history and have

inspired all of us around the world.

In his letter, Chair Su also expressed his

wishes to continue the close cooperation with

Ms. Suu Kyis party, the National League of

Democracy (NLD).

Last year in August, a delegation comprised

of DPP women leaders, including legislators

Bikhim Hsiao, Yeh Yi-jin and Kaohsiung City

Deputy Mayor Liu Shih-fang, paid a visit to

Ms. Suu Kyis residence and to the headquar-

ters of the NLD in Rangoon.


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JUNE 2012

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DEMOCRACY &PROGRESS

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