Taiwan Must Avoid Short-Termism and Think Strategically

With control of both the legislative and executive branches of government, it must be very tempting for the DPP to take bold actions. But there are risks in doing so, and the Tsai administration is well aware of that 

Following the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) resounding victory in the Jan. 16 presidential and legislative elections, it has understandably been tempting for elements within the green camp to try to immediately fix issues of high symbolic importance to them, such as the rectification of names or the removal of portraits. 

Many of those efforts have occurred as the Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) administration tries to find a proper balance in its efforts to achieve transitional justice. Such balance is necessary, as going for the Kuomintang’s (KMT) jugular would smack of triumphalism — or worse, retribution — mere months after the DPP has for the first time in Taiwan’s history captured both branches of government. 

My article, published today in The News Lens International, continues here.