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The previous pro-China mayor of Taiwan’s Kaohsiung has been elected speaker of the Legislative Yuan sparking native civic teams’ protests to “reject China’s alternative”.
Han Kuo-yu of the principle opposition and Beijing-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) emerged victorious after two rounds of voting on Thursday, an final result that might problem the ruling and pro-independent Democratic Progressive Social gathering (DPP) which final month received the presidential election. Neither of the 2 events, together with the Taiwan Folks’s Social gathering (TPP), had greater than half of the seats of the legislature – DPP with 51 seats, KMT 52, and TPP eight.
By regulation, the Speaker is to stay impartial in Parliament, however performs a vital position in figuring out which payments are put up for dialogue within the legislature that controls spending.
Talking to reporters after his win, Han thanked the KMT and impartial legislators, in addition to urged the general public to look ahead to a brand new and reform-driven legislature that may create happiness for the Taiwanese folks.
The DPP issued an announcement to congratulate the brand new speaker, and emphasised that “sooner or later, the three events will collectively bear the accountability for nationwide progress.”
Hours earlier than the voting for speakership started, a coalition of about ten civic and non-governmental organizations gathered outdoors the legislature advanced to protest towards the voting for “China’s most popular candidate.”
“Kuo-yu turns into Speaker and introduces the Communist Social gathering. We reject China’s alternative. We don’t need China’s alternative,” learn one placard.
“Taiwan is the Taiwan of Taiwanese folks, the Taiwan of the world, not the Taiwan of the Chinese language Communist Social gathering [CCP]. Cease mendacity to younger folks, and don’t return to the outdated politics,” Kao Fan-hsi, chief of the rally, instructed the group.
Individually, the Taiwan Inexperienced Social gathering, one among civic teams, said: “Letting an individual who agrees with the CCP’s ‘1992 consensus’ develop into the speaker of Taiwan’s parliament might be the largest breakthrough for the CCP to infiltrate and unite Taiwan. It’s undoubtedly a humiliation and risk to Taiwan’s democracy.”
The “1992 consensus” refers to a tacit understanding reached in that yr between the then-ruling KMT and Beijing. Either side acknowledge that there’s solely “one China,” with all sides free to interpret what that “one China” refers to.
Han seen as a “nationwide safety danger”
Elected as Kaohsiung’s mayor in late 2018, Han swiftly visited Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China in March of the next yr. His assembly with Wang Zhimin, the then-director of China’s Liaison Workplace for Hong Kong and Macau, sparked important controversy inside Taiwan’s political spheres.
Earlier than the speaker’s vote on Thursday, president-elect Lai raised considerations about how Han’s election and potential conferences between the island’s mayors and Chinese language officers would have an effect on Taiwan’s worldwide picture.
After being sworn in, Han addressed Lai’s considerations straight, saying: “Don’t be overly nervous and don’t overinterpret.”
Han additionally affirmed his dedication to Taiwan, promising to uphold the structure, stay impartial, and empower the Legislative Yuan to satisfy its duties and tasks.
Taiwan Affiliation of College Professors President Chen Li-Fu described Han’s win as “an unprecedented congressional disaster.”
He believes that China had hoped for Han to be elected as Han has visited the Liaison Workplace and it could be no shock if the speaker finally visits or delivers a speech on the Chinese language Folks’s Political Consultative Convention. The CPPCC is the CCP’s political advisory physique.
“China’s preparations for the specter of pressure towards Taiwan and its annexation ambitions have by no means stopped,” Chen instructed Radio Free Asia.
“Sooner or later, when Han presides over discussions within the legislature, he doesn’t even have to object, however solely must be passive and uncooperative – the home submarine manufacturing or the US army procurement funds might be delayed, or provoke a technical delay of some years till the US not needs to promote, we’d obtain the aim.”
Though Taiwan solely has 12 diplomatic allies, Chen careworn that the self-governing island, which Beijing considers its personal, has maintained very shut congressional exchanges lately with democratic international locations together with the US, Japan, Australia, and in Europe.
Taiwan must leverage this second-track and alternate congressional diplomacy to extend its worldwide house, he famous.
Translated by RFA employees. Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.
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