Some Taiwanese worry that their lawmakers may sell them out to China
THOUSANDS of people converged on the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan’s parliament, on May 28th. Their placards read “Taiwan for the Taiwanese” and “Tyranny of the majority is not democracy”. They tied white ribbons to police barricades that had been put up around the building. One claimed that democracy was “dead”.
The target of the protests, which had been bubbling for days, was not Taiwan’s government, but its legislature. In January Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected Taiwan’s president. Yet in parliamentary elections that were held simultaneously, his DPP lost control of the Legislative Yuan to China-friendly parties. These parties have since been backing amendments that give the legislature much greater governmental oversight, including sweeping investigative powers. As the protesters marched on parliament, the legislature passed the amendments into law.
The DPP and the protesters, who tend to support Taiwan’s independence from China, see this as a power grab by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and its ally, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). They say the two parties have been high-handed and undemocratic, forcing the amendments through the legislature without sufficient debate or consideration of the opinions of DPP lawmakers, who did not have the numbers to block them.
Opposition politicians say they are seeking to improve Taiwan’s democracy by making government more accountable. They insist the amendments were reviewed under proper procedures, including public hearings and consultations with the DPP. Huang Kuo-chang, a TPP lawmaker, says the ideas embodied in the amendments are popular in America, Britain and some European countries, and are not unique to Taiwan.
Under the new rules, legislators have the power to form panels and question, investigate or demand documents from any official, private organisation or individual they deem relevant. Failing to comply will result in a fine; officials can also be jailed for up to a year for providing false information. Critics fear the rules could be used to force officials or even exiled Hong Kong democracy activists to disclose sensitive information that could be leaked to China. Some opposition lawmakers, including the head of the KMT’s legislative caucus, have warm relations with Communist officials.
DPP politicians worry that the opposition could use the threat of prison to put pressure on them and government officials. They accuse China of being behind the changes, but have not provided evidence for this. Opposition politicians claim the DPP seeks to smear them by accusing them of collaborating with China.
Arthur Ding, a military analyst at Taipei’s National Chengchi University, says it is hard to know if there is Chinese involvement. But leaders in Beijing will probably be happy to see the opposition challenge Mr Lai and the DPP’s authority.
Mr Lai cannot veto the legislation. Yet Cho Jung-tai, the prime minister, plans to send it back to parliament for review. The DPP says it will challenge its constitutionality in court. The discord threatens Mr Lai’s ability to govern, as parliament must approve his plans for anything from weapons deals to spending on infrastructure. Taiwan’s governance looks about to become a lot more dysfunctional. ■