Regarding a group of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members convening a press conference this (June 29th) morning to criticize the opposition party’s relevant role of oversight, the Kuomintang (KMT) emphasizes that the Delta variant of the virus has already invaded Taiwan; the health and safety of our compatriots has thus been exposed to an even grimmer threat. The KMT is quite sorry that the ruling party has taken the time to convene a press conference in order to “oversee” the opposition party instead of filling the pandemic prevention gap of vaccine insufficiency as quickly as possible. The ruling party has intentionally distorted the opposition party’s responsibility of oversight to conceal its own incompetence. This distortion truly embodies the DPP’s pattern of capriciousness, feudal way of thinking, and lack of democratic accomplishment since it has acquired office.

The KMT states that, as an opposition party which is fulfilling its responsibilities as well as possible, it has continuously suggested advance preparation regarding pandemic prevention policy and continuously emphasized that “lack of vaccines is a grim, critical point in Taiwan’s pandemic situation.” The government should face its shortcomings head-on and procure sufficient vaccines as quickly as possible. The KMT’s oversight appeals have always been on a part with international media exposés: Bloomberg News has just published its June “Covid Resilience Rankings” of different countries, wherein Taiwan has fallen from its former top ranking of second best, sliding down to 44th place: nearly at the bottom of the 53 total countries surveyed. The DPP government has apparently been excessively complacent regarding pandemic prevention, refusing to face its vaccine procurement insufficiency problems. The DPP further fails to self-reflect when faced with the drop in ranking of Taiwan’s pandemic prevention performance into the last few places, so much so that it instead attempts to use political attack and framing of the opposition party in order to divert attention away from its predicament of pandemic prevention incompetence.

The KMT emphasizes that its opposition oversight is in accordance with the results of today’s Bloomberg News rankings. The deficiency of the DPP’s pandemic prevention actions have already been internationally attested to again and again. The KMT asks the DPP to humbly accept all oversight and proposals. The DPP has the leisure to monitor opposition parties; it would be better to spend more effort urging the team holding office to complete what the people actually care about: procuring vaccines as quickly as possible. “An environment of stability and peace of mind cannot be achieved by the ruling authorities capriciously doing their own thing and ignoring suggestions.” Our compatriots need the ruling authorities to have feasible policy and practical action to protect our health and safety. The ruling party merely uses empty words to make promises but is unable to let the people feel at ease. Only by acquiring sufficient vaccines can our compatriots have an environment of genuine stability and peace of mind. Protection of the Taiwanese people’s health and safety is the responsibility that the ruling party Legislators should truly be doing their best to fulfill.

(This is an abridged version of an official KMT Chinese language press release）