Responding to questions from Taiwan Review, DPP candidate Frank Hsieh says his platform is aimed at balancing social justice, sustainable development and economic growth.
Frank Hsieh
Born: , 1946
Website: www.frankhsieh.com
Education:
Bachelor of Laws, , 1970
Master of Laws, (), 1976
Honorary Doctorate, (), 2004
Senior Fellow, Kennedy of , , 2006
Employment:
Lawyer, 1969-1981
Member of City Council, 1981-1988
DPP founding member, 1986
Member of Legislative Yuan,
1989-1995
Mayor of Kaohsiung City,
1998-2005
DPP Chairman, 2000-2002
Premier, 2005-2006
Hobbies:
Hsieh was a passionate gymnast in high school, at one point winning a gold medal at a provincial athletics competition. More recently, he has become an accomplished ocarina player, releasing an album with several original songs in 2005.
Review: Why are you running for the presidency?
Frank Hsieh: As a Taiwanese, I have very strong feelings for this land. The Kuomintang [KMT] says that 's economy is declining and puts the blame on the ruling party, but the real problem is the confrontational atmosphere in the Legislative Yuan, where the KMT has the majority. I believe needs a complete transformation, so I advocate a "Taiwanese reformation" campaign. With more than 20 years of experience in politics, I can lead a team that is capable of creating a "happy economy." The primary goal of our policies is to make people happy. At the same time, I want to upgrade 's industrial sectors and technologies to promote economic development and stimulate employment, thus making people happier.
TR: How do you assess your strengths compared with other presidential candidates?
Hsieh: My recent book entitled Striving for Victory in Adversity is actually a faithful description of my life. I've managed to accomplish the impossible with very limited resources. Thanks to this kind of experience, I think I am much more adept at executing policies and crisis management than someone like KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou, whose life has gone much more smoothly than mine. This is a critical time for , and I'm confident that I can turn the chaos we are now experiencing into stability.
The KMT's candidate wants to use development to spur economic growth. I think this pursuit of economic development is behind the times. It will actually lead to a serious national deficit and a widening gap between the rich and the poor. I do not think Ma has found a way to lead to a better future.
TR: Please describe your economic blueprint.
Hsieh: 's problem at the moment is not slow economic growth. Actually, we now have 5 percent annual growth, which is pretty high. 's problem is the unequal distribution of wealth between the rich and the poor. Who does the wealth generated by economic growth really benefit? Will it be distributed to disadvantaged groups?
used to enjoy 9 percent to 10 percent annual economic growth, but it came at the cost of exhausting resources that belong to later generations, by polluting rivers that replenish our water supplies, for example. My economic plan is a "golden triangle" aimed at balancing social justice, sustainable development and economic growth.
First, we need to revitalize our small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs]. 's unemployment is a result of SMEs and [larger] manufacturers moving to . 's national income has become almost completely reliant on exports. The government must create a better economic environment so that these businesses will return. The Industrial Development Bureau [under the Ministry of Economic Affairs] needs to help these industries upgrade. If more manufacturers choose to stay in , the unemployment situation will not continue to deteriorate.
If I am elected president, I will provide a [grace period] of 18 to 24 months for companies that have illegally moved to to return. Under this plan, the capital that has flown to will also naturally return. Once we have enough capital, I will reform 's capital and securities markets to bring in line with the rest of the world, which will have the effect of attracting foreign capital. I also promise to lower inheritance and gift taxes to less than 10 percent as a way of keeping capital in .
My "happy economy" is all about giving concrete benefits to average people. I will pay special attention to SMEs, low and middle-income families and to residents of central and southern . I plan to invest more to help the elderly, children, women and disadvantaged groups to narrow the social divide. This will make Taiwan Asia's most secure place and the nation with the best social welfare.
TR: How will you handle cross-strait relations? What do you think is the most pressing cross-strait issue?
Hsieh: Deepening our own democracy and consolidating 's sovereign independence are very important principles for handling cross-strait relations. In terms of methods, I will work from the inside out. In order to assure 's survival, we must first be united and stable. An internally divided cannot successfully negotiate with other nations. If we did negotiate from this position, the results would not be positive. This is a simple concept. So the greatest effort of my administration will be to resolve 's internal problems.
We do not reject cross-strait peace and dialogue. We will let the world know that we encourage it, because the world is watching and we cannot afford to be misunderstood as provocateurs or rejecters. We need to stress that we seek dialogue. This dialogue should also be opened so that more nations can join in.
There are two reasons for the rise in Taiwanese consciousness. First, more people identify with this land because of the nation's democratic development. Second, there is an increasingly negative reaction to the threat posed by 's missiles.
has been waging legal warfare, psychological warfare and electronic warfare against for many years. It has suppressed 's right to participate in the international community, including the World Health Organization [WHO]. This kind of interference from hurts Taiwanese and increases the number of voices in demanding participation in the United Nations and the WHO.
wants to open a peace dialogue with . While insisting on the principle of 's sovereignty, I will pursue opportunities to open such a dialogue. I also believe that after I am elected president, there will be greater opportunity for cross-strait dialogue, as will come to look seriously at Taiwanese consciousness.
is a large country and is very small. I think the common ground between very large and small countries lies in compromise by the stronger party. However, lacks the spirit of compromise and tolerance. It is able to bring opportunities and benefits, but also creates tensions and threats. Only if a stronger party is able to learn to compromise can it transform threats into reciprocity, tension into peace.
I often talk about peaceful coexistence, but this does not apply just to . It is also for the benefit of those on the other side of the strait. If a lamb tells a tiger that it will be tolerant, it is meaningless! I hope will come to approach in the spirit of tolerance. As Mencius said, "It requires a benevolent prince to be able, with a large kingdom, to accommodate a small one; and it requires a wise prince to be able, with a small kingdom, to accommodate a large one."
TR: Please elaborate on your foreign policy.
Hsieh: needs recognition from the international community and needs more endorsements from its international friends. Historically, has shared common interests with the and , our most important international friends. Although and the agree on security policies, we have also differed on certain subjects over the past few years. However, if I am elected president, I will do my best to reestablish mutual trust with the and to find common ground. I will also strengthen our ties with in the areas of defense, economics, culture and environmental protection--especially in the quest to control carbon dioxide emissions.
If people here were not able to agree that is an independent sovereignty, then could not have national security and it would be difficult for to survive. That is why we are very pleased that under the DPP, the percentage of people identifying themselves as Taiwanese has increased from 30 percent to 70 percent.
Joining the international community is a universal hope for all Taiwanese. We believe that our "UN for " campaign can effectively strengthen Taiwanese identity. We hope this will help Taiwanese to reach a consensus. We believe that this presidential election involves choosing between a Taiwanese identity and a Chinese identity. However, we do not believe 's desire to join the UN is the primary cause of tension in . On the contrary, 's inability to join the international community, its inability to be recognized, is the real source of tension in . This has given the mistaken belief that it has the right to claim that is a part of .
--Translated by Jim Hwang
DPP Vice-Presidential Candidate Su Tseng-chang
Su Tseng-chang (Photo by Huang Chung-hsin)
Born in in 1947, Su Tseng-chang is known for his passion for social justice and human rights.
After graduating from the of at in 1969 and being admitted to the bar, he practiced law from 1973 to 1983 and served as one of the defense lawyers for imprisoned Kaohsiung Incident democracy activists in 1979.
In 1981, Su was elected to the Taiwan Provincial Assembly. After completing his second term in the assembly, in 1989 he was elected magistrate of and served until 1993. As magistrate, Su launched numerous infrastructure projects and vigorously promoted the southern county's agricultural sector.
Su's efforts won national attention, and he was victorious in a tightly contested election for magistrate in 1997. Serving in that capacity until 2004, Su oversaw the building of new schools, kindergartens and nursery schools. His administration also focused on continuing education for senior citizens and laborers, as well as special programs for women. His office initiated transportation infrastructure projects including building expressways and planning for construction of a circular transportation network to ease 's traffic congestion. As magistrate, he also initiated planning for the Taipei-area mass rapid transit system line that will connect the city with .
Following his re-election in 2004, President Chen Shui-bian appointed Su as secretary-general of the Office of the President. His first task in that capacity was to initiate efforts to reform the nation's Constitution to improve governmental efficiency. Su's efforts to solicit a wide range of views on human rights, social welfare, women's rights, youth development, labor rights and other issues raised public awareness and had a decisive influence on the Legislative Yuan's 2004 adoption of a package of amendments to the Constitution, including establishing the right to hold referendums and halving the number of seats in the legislature.
Su was appointed premier in 2006 and made promoting economic development, helping the disadvantaged, rooting out corruption and fighting crime his top priorities. He stepped down as premier last May.
Su is married and has three daughters.
--Jim Hwang
Write to Jim Hwang at jim@mail.gio.gov.tw