At the Central Standing Committee meeting today (Nov. 18th), Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang pointed out that a Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) F-16 fighter jet, not long after taking off for a nighttime flight training exercise, had disappeared from radar. The Republic of China Armed Forces and the relevant units continued to conduct search and rescue through the night. Chairman Chiang emphasized that at this moment, we should not be divided and partisan. We should instead pray together for the pilot of the F-16, Colonel Chiang Cheng-chih, wish all of the search and rescue personnel good luck, and hope for news of a speedy and safe return. 

Regarding the National Communications Commission’s (NCC) decision to reject license renewal for the Chung T'ien Television channel, Chairman Chiang stated that the NCC should explain the reasons why the license renewal was turned down. Otherwise, it would be difficult to convince the Taiwanese people that no political considerations were involved in the decision, Chiang stressed. The KMT is even more concerned that the NCC’s decision will trigger a chilling effect on media outlets and violently attack the freedom of the domestic news environment. Chairman Chiang emphasized that allocations for cable news channels should consider a balance of domestic public opinion; the KMT rejects political spectrum unitarization. 

The official signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) between the ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand will result in the world’s largest regional free trade agreement. As the largest opposition party, the KMT will again patiently remind the Tsai administration to respond appropriately for the sake of ensuring the ROC’s trade interests and robust development. 

Chairman Chiang pointed out that when President Tsai was running for office of president in 2016, she claimed that her team had already completed preparations for admission to RCEP. At her inaugural speech, she went further and claimed that she would lead Taiwan to join RCEP, even establishing an Office of Trade Negotiations at the Executive Yuan in September of that year, displaying a determination to join the RCEP and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). However, this determination was barely more than the smell of an oily rag; it failed to materialize into any sort of substantive result. To this day, any plans for RCEP or CPTPP are dead in the water. 

From the vigorous striving of four years ago to today’s impotent lack of impact, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s magniloquence has been astonishing. Even more concerning, the DPP government has been unwilling to face the impact of its failure to join RCEP head-on, instead employing massive amounts of domestic propaganda to poison the people’s consciousness, causing the development of Taiwan’s economy and trade to, unknown to the people, fall into a predicament of marginalization. 

In response to the signing of RCEP, Chairman Chiang indicated that the KMT is not only concerned about Taiwan’s exclusion in this reorganization of international supply chains, but must also remind the Tsai administration that our machinery, textile, petrochemical, and other traditional industries will be impacted. How should we guard against RCEP expediting the free trade zone negotiations between Mainland China, Japan, and Korea, especially since these negotiations also conceal a challenge to the development of our tech industry? The DPP cannot resolve these difficult crises by shifting the blame onto opposition parties nor by criticizing the Mainland Chinese authorities for suppression, much less so by burying their heads in the sand by suppressing freedom of the press and freedom of speech. 

Chairman Chiang stated that when the KMT was in office, cross Strait relations were stable. The DPP criticized the excessive risk of reliance on a single market, believing we shouldn’t put all of our eggs in one basket. However, after the DPP took over the government, cross Strait relations became rigid. Regardless of whether it was the New Southbound Policy or bilateral / multilateral trade negotiations, no concrete progress has been made; on the contrary, the DPP has caused our country to become even more dependent on mainland China’s market. The Tsai administration has held office for over four years, and during this time, our dependence on mainland China’s trade has continuously grown from under 40% to 42.3% for the first half of this year. This dependence has even reached $27 billion USD in June of this year, making up a total of 46.1% of our exports. It is obvious that although the ruling party is tough regarding mainland politics, it is still powerless to change the fact that we are economically reliant on the mainland. 

Chairman Chiang stated that confronted with the DPP government’s thoughtlessness and carelessness, the KMT still takes the responsibility of proposing a suggestion: the DPP government, apart from attempting to join the CPTPP, should also actively strive to join the second round of RCEP negotiations. The DPP government should furthermore propose the next step of methods and timetables for the New Southbound Policy, in addition concretely adapting to every type of impact from its failure to join the RCEP by proposing pertinent guidance measures for all industries that may be affected, especially traditional industries.
Lastly, Chairman Chiang emphasized once again that this Sunday, November 22nd, will be the first time that the KMT participates in a march sponsored by a non-governmental organization. The KMT, apart from continuing to call for and reinforce mobilization, even more so calls upon all supporters; to confront the arbitrariness and cruelty of the DPP’s one party rule requires mutual assistance and understanding that we’re all in the same boat. Only by moving forward side by side with every type of different non-governmental organizations can we accumulate even more power and together, resist the DPP’s dogmatism! 

Chairman Chiang believes that if the KMT is to competently play the role of opposition party, it must stand with the people. Confronted with the DPP’s high walls and crowd-control barricades, the KMT will don black clothing with the people, symbolizing our shared indignation, and take to the streets. We shall lay down the self-identity of political party because this protest will not be for the sake of any political party’s benefit nor for any one person’s political career, but rather, this protest will be a fight against the health-harming ractopamine pork, a fight against the double standards of the DPP, and most importantly, a fight in defense of freedom of the press and freedom of speech! Fight against the DPP government that exploits public funds to conduct secretive operations and attack opposition parties! Fight against the DPP government that employs the machinery of state to attack senior local officials and law-abiding business owners! 

The KMT hopes that on November 22nd, all KMT central committee members and employees will call upon their supporters and take to the streets together. On that day, at 12:30PM, we will assemble and organize at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and join the ranks of the “Autumn Struggle” labor protest march. Employ concrete action and display the determination of the KMT and the people bellowing and roaring together!