Lai stresses democracy, Constitution to resolve domestic disputes

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Wednesday urged parties across the political divide to democratically resolve the conflicts that have plagued domestic politics within Taiwan's constitutional system.

In his first New Year's Day address since assuming the presidency on May 20, Lai touched on several issues, including economic and security challenges, but a key emphasis was on the partisan wrangling that has characterized his first seven months in office.

Lai said Taiwan has successfully transformed from authoritarianism to today's democracy, and that democracy was the future.

"No matter what threats and challenges Taiwan faces, democracy is the only path for Taiwan. The only choice is to keep moving forward without looking back," he said.

Though political party competition is part of the democratic system, "domestic political disputes should be resolved under a democratic approach within the country's constitutional system," the president said.

Offering no hints, however, of reconciliation with the opposition-controlled Legislature in his speech, Lai stressed the right of the government and the people to oppose moves by the lawmaking body.

Under Taiwan's Constitution, the Executive Yuan has the right to reject a law passed by the Legislature by requesting the lawmaking body to reconsider it, or, once the law takes effect, bring it to the Constitutional Court for adjudication, he said.

People also have the right of "election, recall, initiative, and referendum," enabling them to exercise greater democratic power and show that the people are the source of political legitimacy, he said.

Lai's comments were directed at the ongoing confrontation between his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) in the country's Legislative Yuan.

Neither the KMT, with 52 seats plus two aligned independents, nor the DPP, with 51 seats, have a majority in the 113-seat Legislature, giving the TPP, with eight seats, a pivotal role in passing bills.

To date, TPP lawmakers have sided with the KMT on legislation that the DPP has opposed, including three amendments passed in December. The Cabinet said it will ask the Legislature to reconsider one of the amendments Thursday.

The amendments, which triggered scuffles in the Legislature, covered new measures that tighten recall petition requirements, curb the Constitutional Court's ability to rule on cases, and change central government revenue allocations.

In response, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said the Cabinet would take action to counter them as the three packages are "difficult to implement."

Later, during a press conference following his New Year's address, Lai was asked by reporters whether he would invite opposition party leaders for a so-called "reconciliation coffee." He responded that he plans to invite Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) of the KMT to the Presidential Office for a meeting before Han departs for his trip to the United States.

In his address made in the Presidential Office building, Lai also said his government will continue to strengthen Taiwan's economic resilience and its integration into global supply chains.

Lai said Taiwan will make use of its strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence to deepen the resilience of the "democratic" supply chain.

Through international cooperation, Taiwan will emphasize collaboration in several fields, ranging from drones, Low Earth Orbit satellites, and robots, to the defense, safety and security, biotech, pharmaceutical, and green sectors, he said.

Lai called for unity among Taiwan's people, regardless of their political differences, so that governments at all levels can enact policies that are beneficial to Taiwan's people and help Taiwan "continue to walk down the right path."