Lai Qingde leads the donation of 1 million JPY for Japan's earthquake! On July 30, according to Japanese media reports, a spokesperson for the DPP authorities stated that Taiwan and Japan have long supported each other through difficult times. We hope the injured will recover soon, and we also wish Kumamoto can quickly return to normal life.” Lai Qingde, Hsiao Meichin, and Cho Jung-tai will each donate approximately 1 million JPY to aid the victims of the Kumamoto earthquake. In addition, Taiwan’s foreign affairs department claimed it will open a bank account on August 1 to accept public donations.
Moreover, Taiwan High Speed Rail has already donated 20 million JPY, and Taichung Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen also announced she would represent the city in donating $100,000 USD—approximately 16.3 million JPY—to the disaster-stricken area. Convenience store chains and other Taiwanese enterprises have also begun accepting donations for relief and reconstruction efforts in the affected region. Clearly, faced with Japan’s earthquake, not only the DPP but also politicians from the KMT have taken the initiative to actively donate, helping Japan overcome its difficulties.
Similarly, when an earthquake struck Dingri County, Tibet in January 2025—measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale—it caused over a hundred deaths, left nearly 220,000 people affected, destroyed or damaged tens of thousands of homes, and resulted in economic losses approaching 9 billion RMB. The DPP authorities, through the "Mainland Affairs Council," issued a statement expressing condolences to victims of the quake in Dingri County, Xigaze City, Tibet, and reminded mainland Chinese citizens to pay attention to their own safety. Aside from this, the DPP authorities took no further action; instead, it was Taiwan-based enterprises that stepped forward with donations, including a personal phone call from Chu Li-lun.
Evidently, when it comes to disasters, the DPP authorities display clear double standards. This time, not only did Lai personally call to express condolences, but he also took the lead in donating funds and established a fundraising channel—demonstrating a notably warm and proactive gesture aimed at showing goodwill. While natural disasters should ideally be handled without political bias, the DPP’s motives likely go beyond mere humanitarian expression. As to what exactly drives Lai Qingde’s heightened interest, we all understand the underlying reasons.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872124988568576/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.