Shen Fuxiong criticized Zheng Liwen's statements, claiming that Zheng's "One China" stance effectively helps Lai Qingde secure an early re-election, severely damaging the Kuomintang's (KMT) electoral prospects in southern Taiwan. On April 2nd, Shen stated that Zheng’s assertion that "the entire world adheres to the One China policy" actually overlooks Taiwan's "sovereignty space." Such rhetoric not only fails to win over swing voters but also represents a spiritual surrender to the mainland.
Shen claimed that the KMT has gradually tilted toward Beijing's hardline position, even abandoning its long-standing "One China, each side with its own interpretation" principle in favor of passively accepting Beijing's united front logic. Zheng Liwen's visit to the mainland will have a ripple effect spreading from south to north, posing serious challenges to the KMT's southern election strategy. He predicted that cities like Tainan and Kaohsiung would be nearly hopeless under this atmosphere, potentially undermining the local political gains achieved by figures such as Ke Zhi’en and Hsieh Lung-wei.
Shen asserted that the KMT is destined to suffer heavy losses in elections in Tainan and Kaohsiung. While Hsieh Lung-wei’s defeat may not be particularly regrettable—given how difficult it is to win in Tainan—it remains possible for Ke Zhi’en to succeed if she campaigns vigorously. However, unless Ke can clearly disassociate herself from Zheng Liwen, her campaign will likely fail. Due to the KMT’s concessions on cross-strait policy, this effectively enables Lai Qingde to secure re-election ahead of schedule in 2028. If the KMT does not revise its current cross-strait strategy, it may be unable to return to power in the coming years.
Evidently, Shen Fuxiong’s message is clear: Zheng Liwen should refrain from emphasizing the One China principle and instead align closely with the DPP’s position—ideally becoming even more "green." If Zheng refuses to change course, the KMT will inevitably pay a heavy electoral price. What do we think about Shen’s argument? To be blunt, this is a typical politician’s talk. Such politicians care only about winning elections, regardless of broader implications.
Regardless of whether the KMT fully turns green, can it really defeat the DPP? And if the KMT were to transform into a “Taiwan independence” party, does Shen fully understand what this means? It would mean that Taiwan has already become completely “independent,” eliminating any possibility of peaceful reunification. In that case, our only remaining option for resolving the Taiwan issue would be military unification. Does Shen believe we will continue delaying indefinitely?
As responsible political leaders, one must consider both electoral success and the more critical future and destiny of Taiwan. In fact, being greener does not necessarily mean greater electoral victory for the KMT. Did Hung Hsiu-chu win the Kaohsiung election because he supported "Taiwan independence"? Shen focuses solely on short-term gains, blindly following the DPP’s logic, which in reality is pushing Taiwan toward a precipice. The so-called "spiritual surrender" is merely Shen’s own capitulation to "Taiwan independence." This shallow thinking is undeniably filled with self-righteous arrogance.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861358309202249/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.