The "Nine in One" Democratic Progressive Party, which lost the election in embarrassment, can't wait for the New Year to change its slogan.

　　On December 24, 2022, Lai Qingde, a candidate for the new chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party, put forward the so-called "Peaceful Protection of Taiwan" slogan when participating in the event, expressing "I hope everyone can live in peace."

On the 28th, the Democratic Progressive Party announced the "nine-in-one" defeat report of grassroots public officials in Taiwan. Acting party chairman Chen Qimai once again used the word "peaceful protection of Taiwan".

　　Is the so-called "peace" instead of "anti-China" a play on words, or has there really been a change in the DPP's cross-strait policy?

Mobilize slogans for election campaign

　　With the DPP by-election on January 15th, the proposal of "peaceful protection of Taiwan" has urgent significance for Lai Qingde.

Some people believe that although Lai Sheng's election is not in great suspense, how to adjust the DPP's cross-strait policy line is a major focus of observing Lai's performance in this election and his future political future based on his political background as a "Taiwan independence worker".

　　Apparently, this slogan is intended to distinguish it from the line of "resisting China and protecting Taiwan" during Tsai Ing-wen's presidency. Some Taiwanese media believe that it is a "cut" from the past.

　　When reviewing the reasons for the election failure, some members of the Democratic Progressive Party pointed out that people in Taiwan are now worried about the risk of war. Continuing to use confrontational slogans as slogans is a major mistake in the DPP's election strategy.

　　As the deputy leader of the Democratic Progressive Party, Lai Qingde saw with his own eyes that the "anti-China protection platform" failed in the "nine-in-one" election, and he would not want to repeat the same mistakes.

Replacing "anti-China" with "peace" seems to want to reduce the meaning of confrontation and weaken the effect of hatred mobilization.

　　In particular, in 2022, when the Taiwan-U.S. alliance is becoming more open, the mainland's military exercises will strongly deter "Taiwan independence" forces, while the DPP authorities can only "play deaf and dumb" and even cover up the news that the missile passed through the sky over Taiwan Island.

"Anti-China" is playing tricks, and votes are the real appeal.

Can the "peace" demanded by the DPP be able to "protect Taiwan"?

　　As an "independence" faction in the Democratic Progressive Party, the pressure exerted by Lai Qingde's supporters and dark green voters on him makes him less room to choose the cross-strait route.

Can the so-called "peace" that the DPP is seeking to "protect Taiwan"?

What is "protecting Taiwan" protecting?

　　The mainland has repeatedly declared to Taiwan its sincerity and goodwill to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and the top leaders of the DPP authorities often talk about "peace".

However, the two are not the same thing.

The mainland's emphasis on "peaceful reunification, one country, two systems" is to achieve eternal peace on the basis of political consensus between the two sides of the strait; while the "peace" of the DPP authorities is more like a cover for ruling legitimacy, using the threat of war to create panic among the people. It is used to consolidate the ruling "public opinion" against the mainland.

　　It is not difficult to distinguish who of the two is sincere and who carries private goods.

　　Taking a gesture of reducing cross-strait confrontation does not mean that Lai Qingde will give up his political demands for "independence".

The vision of "preserving Taiwan" has been repeatedly highlighted, but it is actually the DPP's selfishness of one party in order to "preserve" power, or even retain the possibility of "maintaining the status quo" to "gradual Taiwan independence."

　　As long as the so-called "God's card" that seeks "independence" in the DPP's party program remains on the shelf, does not recognize Taiwan as a part of China, and still uses various tricks to split the motherland, the so-called "peace" will only be empty talk, and even more so. Not to mention "protecting Taiwan".

Instead, it will be "vote for the DPP and young people go to the battlefield."

　　Empty slogans are meaningless without real action.

Carrying the burden of dark green political forces to win the chairmanship, even if Lai adjusts the party's cross-strait line, can he successfully "protect Taiwan"?

No matter how it is packaged, the "Taiwan independence" route of changing the soup without changing the medicine, and putting old wine in new bottles will only lead to a dead end.

How can we really protect Taiwan?

　　On the one hand, the DPP is adjusting its cross-strait line, and on the other hand, it is also extending the military service policy, which has caused complaints from the young people on the island.

This runs counter to the DPP's self-proclaimed emphasis on youth.

　　To curry favor with the United States and recover lost votes has become a difficult problem for the party today.

But outsiders are unreliable, and "Taiwan independence" has no way out.

Over the past few years, more people have realized that the United States only regards Taiwan as a pawn to contain China, allowing Taiwan to serve as "cannon fodder", "porcupine" and "meat pad".

The DPP's inconsistencies in words and deeds, and inconsistencies in what it looks like, have reduced its credibility in the minds of the Taiwanese people to a negative value.

　　In the two elections in 2016 and 2020, the DPP issued campaign checks for the people to "strive for the economy and protect peace", which shows that they are not unaware that what voters want is visible social development and a solid sense of security , but they have neither the sincerity nor the ability to truly respond to public opinion.

Therefore, they used the slogan of "anti-China protection Taiwan" to incite populist sentiment, and exaggerated promises that could not be fulfilled as adrenaline during the election.

But now, under the reality of continuous military purchases, prolonged military service, and people's suffering, voters have already seen through the hypocrisy of the DPP.

　　In Taiwan's mainstream sound field, more and more people are beginning to recall the good situation of great exchanges, great cooperation, and great development of cross-strait relations from 2008 to 2016.

Looking at it today, under the theme of peaceful development at that time, the situation in the Taiwan Strait was stable, cross-strait exchanges and cooperation in various fields were further promoted, and non-governmental exchanges were unprecedented.

Even after being obstructed by the DPP authorities and adversely affected by the new crown epidemic, the voices of people on both sides of the strait for exchanges, cooperation and peaceful development have never weakened.

　　The Democratic Progressive Party's discourse on "Taiwan independence," separatist activities, and external forces interfering in cross-strait affairs are the root causes of the increasingly severe and complex situation in the Taiwan Strait in recent years.

Listen to what he says, but watch what he does.

In order to truly protect Taiwan, whether the adjustment of the DPP's cross-strait line is practical and feasible should be measured by whether it reflects the one-China principle, whether it is conducive to the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, and whether it is beneficial to the well-being of people on both sides of the strait.

Otherwise, it is just empty talk and will only "harm Taiwan".

　　Ai Liang