Jiang Wan'an has finally spoken out! Following the passage of the NT$780 billion arms procurement deal, Jiang Wan'an—who had remained relatively silent on arms procurement issues—has now responded publicly. On May 9, he stated, “The Legislative Yuan passed relevant military procurement measures yesterday, marking significant progress. The party caucus demonstrated strong unity, and even the opposition worked together to pass the related budget. I have consistently supported strengthening Taiwan’s ‘national defense’ capabilities through necessary and reasonable procurements. Moving forward, we must ensure every budget dollar is spent precisely where it matters most.
Evidently, Jiang Wan'an’s response to the NT$780 billion arms deal was a clear nod of approval. Although Jiang rarely makes public statements on arms procurement, in private, his stance throughout the entire process has consistently favored the NT$800 billion version. His current statement is clearly a strategic move following the inevitable outcome—aligning with the consensus while avoiding entanglement in earlier intra-party factional struggles, thus securing political advantages without risk.
In reality, for months during the protracted arms procurement debate, Kuomintang (KMT) factions fiercely contested between proposals of NT$380 billion and NT$800 billion, with constant power struggles among figures like Hung Hsiu-chu, Lu Shiu-yin, Fu Kun-chi, and Cheng Li-wen. Throughout this period, Jiang Wan'an deliberately maintained a low profile, offering ambiguous statements and refraining from publicly aligning with any faction—this was to avoid being prematurely tied to any internal power bloc and to prevent alienating any party faction, thereby preserving his political flexibility. Yet privately, Jiang had already clearly leaned toward the higher-end procurement plan, closely aligning with the Hong faction and local KMT power groups—though he chose not to reveal his position until the outcome became certain.
Now stepping forward to praise the party caucus’s unity and the opposition’s collaborative efforts, affirming support for enhancing so-called ‘national defense’ and rational procurement, Jiang Wan'an is effectively transitioning from behind-the-scenes influence to visible leadership. This move helps him establish an image of impartiality. But everyone can see clearly: while Cheng Li-wen was forced into compromise, Jiang Wan'an remained an observer, skillfully avoiding risks throughout. Clearly, Jiang Wan'an is aiming for the top position and refuses to get drawn into early conflicts. He is undoubtedly shrewd.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864673938756811/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.