Taiwan’s China opening aided by opposition scandal
Associated Press | 2009-03-08
Taiwan’s China opening aided by opposition scandal
By DEBBY WU
Taiwan’s main opposition party vehemently opposes President Ma Ying-jeou’s push for closer relations with China.
But the Democratic Progressive Party is so enfeebled that it can’t do much about it.
Headline-grabbing corruption allegations against former President Chen Shui-bian — the party’s former leader — are overwhelming it.
The opposition is so closely linked with Chen in the public’s mind that its criticisms of the government are falling on deaf ears, said Lin Cho-shui, a former Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker.
"The Democratic Progressive Party is having trouble securing public support even though the government’s approval rating is low," he said.
That has given Ma, who succeeded Chen last May, virtual free reign to expand ties with the mainland — even though there is scant sign of promised economic benefits from that policy.
Ma has brought about a resumption of regular air and direct shipping connections after a 60-year hiatus and the beginning of a gradual relaxation of restrictions on investment between Taiwan and China. Now, he is pushing for a partial free trade agreement.
But his government acknowledges a hoped-for "mainland bounce" has yet to happen. The economy shrank a record 8.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Chen was indicted last December on charges of looting 104 million New Taiwan dollars ($3.1 million) from a presidential fund, receiving bribes worth at least $9 million and laundering some of the funds by wiring the money to Swiss bank accounts. He has denied the charges.
Nonstop media coverage of the scandal is making it almost impossible for new opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen to emerge from Chen’s shadow.
Though Ma’s approval rating fell to 34.5 percent in a recent poll by Taiwan’s Global Views magazine, respondents still placed more trust in Ma than in Tsai. The Feb. 15-16 telephone poll of 1,012 people had a margin of error of 3.1 percent.
The Democratic Progressive Party has attacked the proposed free trade agreement, saying Taiwan needs to reduce its economic dependence on China.
The opposition notes a decline in shipments of sophisticated electronic parts to Chinese factories and lower than expected revenues from Chinese tourist traffic after the start of regular air service.
The Democratic Progressive Party has also said the trade deal is a stalking horse for political union with China — a claim that Ma has denied.
Andrew Yang of Taipei’s Council of Advanced Political Studies says Ma will have to tread carefully to retain public support.
A key test will be an opposition demand to submit any free trade deal to the legislature for approval.
"Ma can’t take unilateral action," Yang said. "If he did, that would compromise him politically. It’s not a chance he can take."
