"Whether Taiwan opts for independence, unification with China or the 'status quo,' we must have a strong economy as our foundation," forum convener Jeff Lin, an Associate Dean of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences at National Taiwan University, said at the press conference.
The group of more than 50 scholars, with more to be recruited, said they would draw on their collective wisdom for the good of the public and stand above partisanship, represented by the deadlock between the pan-green camp, led by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, and the pan-blue coalition, led by the opposition Kuomintang.
"Both the pan-green and pan-blue camps should focus on Taiwan's sustainable development and the people's well-being," Lin said. "With this in mind, the two parties should then be able to think rationally rather than opposing each other for the sake of opposing."
The Taiwan Competitiveness Forum will be divided into 14 panels, each focusing on one issue. The issues range from industry and energy policies to education reform and government effectiveness and efficiency. It will hold seminars regularly, disseminate policy analysis and provide recommendations for the government's reference. It will also evaluate the infrastructure of the country, according to the forum organizers. The founders are financing the forum themselves, and are trying to raise more funds.
"If nobody cares about issues involving the public good, then public interests will be sacrificed and fall into the hands of those who know how to achieve personal gain," Lin stated, noting that their forum was created out of a concern for the unequal wealth distribution in society.
Prominent people, including former Premier Tan Fei, former NTU President Sun Chen and Chief Executive Officer of Grace T. H. W. Group Winston Wong, a son of Taiwanese business tycoon Wang Yung-ching, will join the forum in giving speeches.
Several groups were established recently that claimed to transcend the blue-green partisanship, which was described by local media as the "third force." Tan, who attended the TCF establishment, is planning to form another group to encourage voting.
Noting that 2 million eligible voters failed to cast their ballots in the last presidential election, Tan said their participation will make a difference in upcoming elections, pressuring the two major political parties to reform and heed people's needs.
That such a third force is emerging implies that "people are fed up with the vicious fights between the two major political parties," Jou Yi-cheng, chief of the Third Society Party preparatory office, remarked Aug. 21. "It shows that society has high expectations for new choices, for new representation," he said. Jou, former director of the DPP youth department, started the new party in July to address reform issues left out of current political debates.
"Yet if there is all talk and no action from intellectuals, people with high expectations will be even more disappointed," Jou said. Taking part in the election and winning would be a stark wake-up call to both pan-blue and pan-green politicians, he stressed. Jou added that in the legislative elections scheduled for Jan. 12, 2008, the party will focus on the second vote, where a person votes for a political party rather than individual candidates in the new "single-constituency, two-ballot" system.
The party will propose its list of legislative candidates in September. "We want to offer people better options, which we hope will lead to healthy competition," Jou said.
Write to June Tsai at june@mail.gio.gov.tw