[Global Times Special Correspondent Chen Lifei] Lai Qingde, deputy leader of the Taiwan region, officially took office as the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party on the 18th. Regarding the closely watched cross-strait relations, his arguments are considered more dangerous than Tsai Ing-wen.

Both on the island and in the United States have expressed concern that he may become the Democratic Progressive Party's candidate in the 2024 election.

Criticized for blatantly engaging in "one country on each side"

　　On January 18, Lai Qingde received the seal from the acting party chairman Chen Qimai and officially became the chairman of the DPP.

He claimed that the DPP's cross-strait policy is subject to the "Taiwan Future Resolution" passed in 1999. The DPP under his leadership will continue to stand firmly on Tsai Ing-wen's "four insistences" and continue Tsai's cross-strait line.

Several core figures in the Lai Qingde camp argued that the focus of outside understanding should be on "pragmatics" rather than "Taiwan independence workers."

　　Tang Yonghong, a professor at the Taiwan Studies Center of Xiamen University, said on the 18th that Lai Qingde's statement is a blatant "one side, one country" and "one China, one Taiwan", which makes the political conflicts between the two sides of the strait even more irreconcilable. , and cannot even "guard Taiwan".

He criticized Lai Qingde's intention to blame the mainland for the high winds and waves in the Taiwan Strait that may overturn the cross-strait peace boat, in an attempt to cover up or resolve cross-strait structural conflicts and their impact on Taiwan Strait peace and cross-strait exchanges. Impossible." The people of Taiwan should have the wisdom not to be fooled by such specious remarks.

Bao Chengke, assistant director of the Shanghai Institute of East Asian Studies, said bluntly that "the Taiwan independence line was clear at a glance" on the first day Lai Qingde took office as party chairman.

　　KMT chairman Zhu Lilun shouted to Lai Qingde on the 18th that what everyone wants to know most is "what is a pragmatic Taiwan independence worker", and Lai wants to give a clear answer to all walks of life.

He said that if the DPP continues to promote "Taiwan independence", it will violate the will of the whole people and harm regional peace and cross-strait stability.

"Legislative member" Lai Shibao said on the 19th that Lai Qingde's "pragmatic Taiwan independence" is "Taiwan independence", which is more aggressive and dangerous than Tsai Ing-wen.

"Legislative member" Fei Hongtai criticized that Lai Qingde now wants to follow in the footsteps of Tsai Ing-wen. If this is the case, wouldn't it be the same as what Tsai has done in recent years?

Taiwan will not have a completely new situation, as long as Tsai Ing-wen continues to be the party chairman.

In the dark green Tainan for a long time

　　Lai Qingde was born in Taipei County (now New Taipei City) in October 1959. His father was a miner and his ancestors came from Zhangzhou, Fujian.

When he was two years old, his father died suddenly in a coal mine disaster, and his mother raised 6 children independently.

Lai Qingde graduated from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of National Taiwan University, the Department of Medicine of Chenggong University, and the School of Public Health of Harvard University.

In 1994, he took over Chen Dingnan, nominated by the Democratic Progressive Party, as the president of the "National Physicians Support Association" headquarters of Taiwan's governor campaign. He began to use Tainan City, where he had worked as a doctor for a long time, as the political stage. Two years later, he was elected the third in the Tainan City constituency. In 1998, he was elected as a "legislator" and was re-elected.

Lai Qingde's wife Wu Meiru is quite low-key, and they have two sons.

　　In January 2009, the Democratic Progressive Party decided to represent Lai Ching-teh as the mayor of Tainan, and was re-elected in 2014.

He promised at the time that he would serve a full four-year term.

However, in September 2017, Lin Quan, the then "President of the Executive Council", resigned from Tsai Ing-wen, and Lai replaced Lin Quan to form a "cabinet". He was also severely criticized by Taiwanese public opinion for violating his political commitments.

In November 2018, Taiwan held the "nine-in-one" election, and the Democratic Progressive Party suffered a disastrous defeat. Lai Qingde's resignation was approved in January of the following year, and his position was replaced by Su Zhenchang.

In March 2019, Lai Qingde officially announced his participation in the party primary election for the 2020 Taiwan leadership election.

　　This also caused the conflict between him and Tsai Ing-wen to explode.

At that time, there were many fan pages on Facebook attacking Lai Qingde, and some of the comments and drawings were quite violent.

Huang Weihan, a senior Taiwanese media person, once said in the program, "In order to ensure Xiaoying's victory, the DPP issued a kill order, and the keyboard player of the cyber army directly aimed at Lai Qingde."

Supporting Tsai Ing-wen's fan page, washing Lai Qingde's flanks as supporters of former Kaohsiung mayor Han Guoyu, who is a member of the Kuomintang, and then questioning Lai, and even ordering "all-out war" if he dares to touch Tsai Ing-wen.

Lai Qingde couldn't bear it anymore, and once publicly shouted to Tsai Ing-wen, "Tsai Ing-wen's cyber army should stop attacking and smearing me. This will not help future unity."

Former Taipei City Councilor Luo Zhiqiang said with a smile that others say that Tsai Ing-wen has a cyber army, you don’t have to believe it, but this time, “Lai Qingde personally certified that Xiaoying has a cyber army.”

In the end, Lai Qingde lost to Tsai Ing-wen and became his deputy.

"Unquestionable beauty" and "doubt"

　　According to a poll released by the TVBS Poll Center on the 17th, if the KMT were to run for the 2024 election by New Taipei Mayor Hou Youyi or Hon Hai founder Guo Taiming, they would have 34% support ahead of Lai Qingde's 25%.

According to the analysis, Lai's "Taiwan independence" argument made the island uneasy.

　　In September 2017, Lai Ching-teh, who was Taiwan’s “Executive Premier” at the time, claimed in the “Legislative Yuan” that he was a “political worker advocating Taiwan’s independence and a pragmatic Taiwan independenceist.” In March of the following year, he reiterated that I am a "Taiwan independence worker".

Advocating "Taiwan independence" has caused him to be questioned. In order to pursue the position of leader of the Taiwan region in 2024, Lai Qingde has recently deliberately kept a low profile, throwing out the so-called "peaceful protection of Taiwan" argument, in an attempt to cut off from Tsai Ing-wen's "anti-China protection of Taiwan" .

In this regard, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Mainland, emphasized that "Taiwan independence" and peace are incompatible.

If peace across the Taiwan Strait is really desired, some politicians in Taiwan should give up their separatist stance of "Taiwan independence", return to the basis of the "1992 Consensus", and stop being pawns of external anti-China forces.

　　On January 8, Lai Ching-teh said at a political opinion conference for the election of the party chairman that doubts about the United States should not become a social consensus, otherwise Taiwan would be very dangerous.

Former "legislator" Guo Zhengliang believes that this is Lai's early gesture of favor to the United States.

A comment published in the China Times Electronic News stated that Tsai Ing-wen believed in the Americans. Trump sold 11 batches of arms to Taiwan, and Biden sold 8 batches of arms, but spent astronomical prices to buy arms. Is the Taiwan Strait more and more secure?

　　"Wang Pao" editorial on the 17th stated that if the relevant actions of the United States are beneficial to Taiwan's survival and development, Taiwan will of course welcome them. If they do the opposite, Taiwan will of course reject them outright.

What's more, there are many examples of the United States abandoning its allies, crossing rivers and demolishing bridges, and even trampling on the moral bottom line for its own benefit.

The article believes that the green camp does not allow anyone to question the determination and ability of the United States to support Taiwan. Internally, it is necessary for political struggle. Externally, Taiwan will lose its strategic autonomy and become a free buffet for the United States to get whatever it wants.

　　Even if Lai Qingde "confesses the truth", the United States does not trust him.

The British "Financial Times" interviewed former US national security officials and other people familiar with the inside information. They revealed that the US side was disturbed by Lai's repeated declaration that "Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country" and other words and deeds, and had doubts about his ability to properly handle cross-strait relations.

The China Times Newspaper published an editorial saying that Lai Qingde, a politician who is weak to those in power and lacks international heights, obviously does not have the structure to govern Taiwan.

Lai Qingde will actively participate in the 2024 election. "In the face of many doubts from the public, he should first make it clear where he wants to take Taiwan?" (Global Times)