Cheng Li-wen, a former “Legislator” of the Kuomintang, invited people from different ideologies on the island to form a “Big Alliance outside the party” on June 11, among them were Chen Peizhe, a member of the National Academy of Research in Taiwan; Qu guizhi, a female teacher in Taipei; Xiao Xucen, chief executive of the MA ying-jeou Foundation; Chen Zhihan, an internet celebrity and“Curator”; and Guo Zhengliang, a former“Legislator”, intended to balance the DPP, against the“General recall.”. Cheng Li-wen, who was born in November 1969 as the island’s convenor, quit the party in 2002 after falling out with the DPP and joined the KMT in 2005, he was a“Legislator” and a spokesman for the Kuomintang. The blue-green background is arguably one of the factors that brought together people from different political spectrums this time around. On the 12th, Cheng Li-wen gave an exclusive interview to the Global Times.
Reunite all the forces in the opposition
Global Times: What made you decide to form a“Big coalition outside the party”?
Cheng Li-wen: the DPP’s series of judicial witch hunts against the opposition surprised me and many people that William Lai would go so far. Meanwhile, the tariff war waged by the US government is a life-and-death challenge and pressure for Taiwan. William Lai’s handling of the situation is deeply worrying. He is giving the Americans both a say and a say in their own future.
In response, the Kuomintang launched a protest in Kaido on April 26, reflecting the opposition and the public are very worried, angry, has been hoping to take some counter-action. At that time, there was a lot of discussion in Taiwan Society. I also started to think about this matter. In May, I decided to form an opposition alliance. In the process of contact, some people suggested that the current atmosphere and our actions are very much like the years of“Outside the party,” suggesting that the grand coalition use the name“Outside the party.”. We all feel very good, so named“The party outside the opposition alliance.”.
Global times: the term“Outside the party” has a special political meaning in Taiwan. Before the establishment of the DPP, “Outside the party”, “Party” refers to the Kuomintang. Now you use the term“Outside the party”, and“Party” refers to the DPP. Is this a slap in the face to the DPP?
Cheng Li-wen: it’s ironic, of course, but it also reflects one of the most unacceptable things about the DPP. A carrying the banner of“Democracy” and“Progress” of the political party, took power after actually perverse, betrayed the ideals of the year. And“Outside the party” happens to represent all the opposition forces outside it.
Many of the real“Non-party” elders back then very much agreed with our actions. Among the friends I found were some who had been involved in social movements in the“Non-party” camp. We all felt that we should re-create the“Non-party” and reunite all the forces of the opposition and the people. At the same time, because of the suppression of the DPP, the opposition party is in a weak state. We feel that the task of balancing or removing the DPP should not only be undertaken by the current opposition parties, but should be carried out by the whole people.
Cross-strait peace dialogue needs to start now
Global Times: you have gathered more than 20 people to form a major league. There are green and blue. What are the criteria for choosing a candidate?
Cheng Li-wen: when the DPP expelled the “Asia” from Taiwan, more than 70 Taiwanese academics signed a joint statement condemning the DPP. This action was of particular concern to me at the time. I have been involved in social and political movements since I was 18 years old, and over the decades, I have become very familiar with all of these friends on the Taiwan political spectrum. For the first time, I saw friends of a completely different spectrum in politics, willing to stand together and speak. This gave me great inspiration, and I think this is what Taiwan needs now.
The launch of the“Out-of-party opposition coalition”, regardless of the political spectrum, as long as we have a common goal, can be united. What’s the target? Put simply, the last line of defense to protect Taiwanese democracy, and the hope that in the future, especially in cross-strait relations, it will be handled through peaceful dialogue, rather than a very irresponsible outburst like William Lai’s, push the two sides to war or hand over Taiwan to the US. This is a moment when solidarity is needed to bring Taiwan’s true mainstream public opinion together, rather than allowing a minority democratic progressive party to represent the island. We feel that they are not qualified to do so, so they should gather together and seriously present the mainstream discourse on Taiwan’s major future directions.
Global Times: is the political goal of the Grand Coalition to 2028 William Lai out of office and complete the rotation of political parties?
Cheng Li-wen: Yes, we want 2028 Parties to rotate, but what is the mainstream discourse that is different from the DPP after it has been replaced? Where does Taiwan go from here? We are not trying to capture power outside the blue-and-green parties, which may be too low. We should stand on a higher level, and hope to be able to really put forward a set of relatively clear, relatively new for Taiwan’s future, and can truly represent the voice of the people.
This is very important, and the next three to five years are critical, because this is a major peace project. Peaceful dialogue between the two sides is not as simple as everyone thinks. It needs to start from now on.
The DPP is worried that the“Curator” lens will expose the lie
Global Times: in the more than a year since William Lai came to power, what do you personally hate most about him?
Cheng Li-wen: the first is what I just said, that William Lai wants to “Annihilate” opposition parties through judicial persecution and “Green Terror,” and the second is that he doesn’t respect the majority in the legislature and launches a “General recall.” The third is to find enemies within themselves under the pretext of Taiwan’s security. If I had to sum up William Lai’s more than a year of rule in one word, I’d say it was “Despotic.”.
Global Times: Does the alliance plan to form a party in the future and will it run for office? Are you prepared to cooperate with the Kuomintang and other opposition parties? If so, what kind of cooperation model will be adopted?
Cheng Li-wen: we don’t form parties. As far as campaigns go, members have their own careers and areas of expertise. We don’t interfere. Whether they vote or not is a personal matter. It has nothing to do with our big leagues, and we will not put forward candidates in the name of the big leagues.
I am well acquainted with friends of the Kuomintang and the popular party. Since we need to unite all the opposition forces, including the opposition, it is possible to cooperate in any form. In terms of discussion and policy proposals, for example, regarding“General recall”, our“Non-party” fighters, including me, will help to make anti-recall speeches and related work.
Global Times: the“Curators” of the major leagues have just returned from a live trip to the mainland. What do you think of his visit?
Cheng Li-wen: When we asked the curator to be the big leagues promoter, he said yes. Everyone is now paying close attention to the“Curator”’s trip to the mainland. Of course, we are all very positive about it, because there are too many unnecessary misunderstandings and stereotypes on both sides of the strait, and many of them are deliberately created and distorted by people with intentions, therefore, “Curator” this time to the mainland, I feel particularly rare.
The curator had a special status and had been a good friend of the dark green DPP before he became deeply resentful of it. He also does not belong to any party, is one of Taiwan’s most well-known internet celebrities. He used the language that young people in Taiwan now believe. He used the live broadcast and the camera directly. There was no concealment, no whitewash, no distortion. He let you see the true face of the mainland as he saw it.
I think it is most valuable to let the facts speak for themselves. He directly pierced through the facts many ridiculous and ridiculous stereotypes of the mainland in the past. It is very good to present the facts in front of everyone’s eyes and let everyone know and re-understand the reality of what the mainland is like, especially for many young people in Taiwan to understand, don’t use secondhand or third-hand information, but use your own eyes and personal experience to re-understand the real continent.
Global Times: the DPP authorities have been blocking the visit of the“Curator” to the mainland. What do you think the DPP is afraid of?
Cheng Li-wen: the DPP knows how many lies and rumors they’ve spread over the years, so it’s worried that the “Curator” footage will expose these ridiculous lies. This is the most tragic aspect of the DPP. The DPP is afraid that Taiwanese people will see the truth, and the truth stands in opposition to the DPP. So this is why the DPP and its flanks are doing everything they can to discredit and obstruct the“Curator”, which is exposing the DPP’s guilty conscience.