Speaker Han makes 3 wishes for Taiwan, calls for political compromise

Taipei, Oct. 10 (CNA) Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) on Saturday wished for a secure Taiwan, prosperity for its people and a thriving democracy, while urging the government and the opposition to resolve their differences through compromise.

Speaking at the National Day ceremony in his capacity as chairman of the National Day Preparatory Committee, Han said just as people make wishes on their birthdays, everyone could join in making three wishes for the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan's official name, on its 115th birthday.

His first wish was for Taiwan's security. The country must never descend into war, he said.

He urged political leaders not to deepen divisions over national identity and called on them to defend the ROC, protect democracy and freedom, maintain ties with the United States and preserve peace across the Taiwan Strait.

His second wish was for greater prosperity for the people.

He urged the government to ensure that older manufacturing industries, tourism, the cultural and creative sectors, health care, agriculture and fisheries also benefit from Taiwan's economic growth, so that high-tech industries do not thrive while other sectors struggle.

His third wish was for democracy to thrive. Taiwan's democracy was built through generations of effort, Han said, and protecting it is a shared responsibility of the ruling and opposition parties and the public.

Han said Taiwan's democracy was showing signs of strain, citing last year's recall campaigns against opposition lawmakers, which he described as "political persecution," and the executive branch's refusal to countersign bills passed by the Legislature.

He warned that the standoff between the Executive Yuan and the Legislative Yuan could damage Taiwan's international reputation as a democracy, saying Taiwan must not be seen by the world as a "fake democracy, real dictatorship."

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) must help resolve the standoff through dialogue and compromise, he said.

Quoting former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), he said, "Politics inevitably involves conflict, but compromise leads to progress."

Han expressed confidence that the Cabinet and opposition parties could work together to advance Taiwan's democracy.

Responses to Han's remarks

Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄), chief executive of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus, said national celebrations should unite the public and not be used as an occasion for political attacks, adding that the speaker should build bridges instead of deepening divisions.

Chuang said the DPP supports Han's three wishes but accused him of inflaming tensions by using terms such as "political persecution" and "fake democracy, real dictatorship."

The speaker should lead by example if he wants political parties to overcome their differences, Chuang said.

Legislator Hung Mong-kai (洪孟楷), of the opposition Kuomintang, backed Han, saying the Cabinet's repeated refusal to countersign bills passed by the Legislature raised serious questions about the separation of powers and the proper functioning of Taiwan's constitutional order.

Lai should rise above party politics and help resolve the impasse between the executive and legislative branches, Hung said, stressing that democracy requires respecting institutions, not making decisions that merely serve the ruling party's interests.

He praised Han's remarks as an important reminder to the government of its responsibility to safeguard Taiwan's security and democracy.

Taiwan People's Party Legislator Hung Yu-hsiang (洪毓祥) also praised the remarks, saying democracy is about more than elections and voting and requires those in power to accept scrutiny and abide by the Constitution.