Taiwan's veteran media person Huang Weihan posted the latest public statement of former DPP "legislator" Guo Zhengliang on Facebook on the 19th, Guo said that someone reported him on the 16th for damaging the reputation of the DPP and demanded that he be expelled from the party. Guo announced his withdrawal from the DPP.

Guo Zhengliang pointed out in his statement that Taoism is different and does not conspire against each other, gentlemen are cut off from friendship, and do not make evil words. He called on comrades in the party to "constantly review their original intention in politics, constantly reflect on themselves, face the gap in reality, and propose pragmatic solutions, so as to be worthy of the broad masses of people who are concerned about Taiwan's future." ”

As soon as the news came out, it received widespread attention on the island.

The news of Guo Zhengliang's withdrawal from the Democratic Progressive Party sparked heated discussions on Facebook

Guo Zhengliang is a person

Guo, 61, graduated from National Taiwan University and later went to Yale University in the United States to study at Yale University, where he received a doctorate in political science. He has been involved in politics since the eighties of the 20th century.

In 2001, Guo Zhengliang ran for "Legislative Council" in Taipei's Southern District, was elected with the second highest vote, and was re-elected in 2004. In 2011, he faded out of the political circle and turned to work as a commentary on current affairs.

Unlike many slogan-shouting politicians in Taiwan, Guo Zhengliang is considered to be a figure with a more international perspective in the DPP, who can objectively view the mainland's development and Taiwan's predicament, and is clearly aware that the gap between the two sides of the strait is widening.

In many political programs, Guo Zhengliang often makes rational and pragmatic remarks. He has openly advocated on many occasions that "(Taiwan) should not be a pawn of the Americans" and called on the two sides of the strait to avoid war and seek peace, and to exchange and cooperate, which is undoubtedly contrary to the DPP's idea of seeking "independence" and rejecting reunification.

In 2014, Guo attended a seminar on cross-strait relations in Taipei. Photo by China News Agency reporter Dong Huifeng

Quitting due to dissatisfaction

Once known as the DPP's "military master," Guo Zhengliang has drifted away from the party in recent years and has also expressed his intention to quit the party. Guo Zhengliang has not paid party dues for two years and is considered a dissident because he has repeatedly made public criticisms of the DPP.

On the 19th, Guo Zhengliang wrote in the "Exclusive! Broke the DPP! Guo Zhengliang said clearly! The program said that the DPP is now getting further and further away from ideas such as "clean and diligent administration", and he himself has quite a good opinion on the style of action of the DPP leaders.

In particular, he was deeply dissatisfied with the fact that Zhongtian News Station's usual application for the renewal of the license for a satellite broadcasting channel three years ago was not approved, believing that the DPP's suppression of dissidents and muzzling public opinion by raising "trolls" is afraid that the people will learn the truth. On the cross-strait issue, the DPP was the first to shout about opening up visits to relatives and sightseeing, and now it has done little positive except for empty shouts of "love and peace."

In another online program "Bright Sword Taiwan" a few days ago, Guo Zhengliang revealed that he and the DPP are getting farther and farther, mainly because of the BNT vaccine. This is because the DPP authorities' insistence on purchasing vaccines in the name of the so-called "independent Taiwan government" is deliberately creating obstacles and disregarding the safety of people's lives. "That's what I hate the most," he said.

Deviating from the original intention of the founding of the party

At the beginning of its founding, the DPP advocated "honesty, diligence, and love for the countryside", emphasizing that it would work hard for the people's lives, and also attracted some people of insight who were looking forward to promoting advantages and eliminating disadvantages and taking care of people's livelihood to join. Today, as former Taiwan "legislator" Tsai Ching-yuan said, the party's ideas at the beginning of its founding have long been replaced by "black money, bribery of votes, and filling in wasteland," abandoned by the people, and even more criticized for seeking "independence."

As early as the 20s of the 90th century, founding elder Zhu Gaozheng published a critical article on the rise of the "new trend system" and other factions advocating "Taiwan independence" within the DPP, and then officially withdrew from the DPP. In the decades that followed, people withdrew dissatisfied with the bad political atmosphere in the party.

Zhu Gaozheng. Source: United News Network

In 2018, Annette Lu, former deputy leader of Taiwan, expressed her willingness to quit the party, "For a political party that has lost its party morality and soul, it is better to return than to stay in pain." ”

In 2019, Cai Mingfeng, a senior member of the Democratic Progressive Party, quit the party. He said that the DPP has deviated from its original founding philosophy, and its spirit of fighting for Taiwan and the people is no longer there, and it is not working for the public interests of the people and other people, but only seeking the selfish interests of specific factions.

On June 6 this year, You Yinglong, chairman of the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation, also posted an online post announcing his withdrawal from the DPP, saying that the party has changed, that holding power should only be a means, not an end, and that the DPP has defected from its supporters.

Yau Shuhui posted on Facebook to cause heated discussions

On January 1 this year, Guo Zhengliang satirized in the Zhongtian News station's political discussion program "Big News Big Explosion" that the DPP authorities are currently being criticized for manipulating populism and bragging, and the result is that "bragging is overblowing and being choked to death." Facing the same problems, always repeating the mistakes of the past will only make the people of Taiwan more clearly aware of the DPP's inability to govern.

Netizen: The DPP does not tolerate truth-tellers

The news of Guo Zhengliang's withdrawal from the DPP was forwarded by many politicians. Former Taipei City Councilman Luo Zhiqiang said, "The right way is not alone, Guo Zhengliang come on!" Taipei City Councilor You Shuhui said that the DPP has changed, not Guo Zhengliang, and the farther away from evil, the better.

Taiwanese netizens have also left messages on social media platforms:

"A party that goes to degeneration does not need to be complicit with it"

"The DPP is bad money driving out good money"

"Leaving the dirty DPP is the right thing to do"

"The DPP can't tolerate truth-tellers!"

Some netizens sighed:

"Even Brother Liang has been removed, so it seems that the DPP does not want to spend time on cross-strait exchanges at all."

"Not even the only clear stream"

"Brother Liang really doesn't act now!"

"I'm surprised that I didn't quit until now"...

Some netizens speculated who would be the next person who recognized the true face of the DPP and withdrew.

Regarding Guo Zhengliang's decision, DPP spokesman Zhang Zhihao responded on the same day that the relevant remarks were smears and slanders, and said that they had been handled in accordance with the party's internal review procedures.

Author: Mu Lang