Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Reactions from several leading Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members in response to former premier William Lai’s (賴清德) decision to challenge President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) re-election bid have been disappointing and raise questions over their dedication to the values that the party’s name suggests.

Shortly after Lai on March 18 registered for the DPP’s presidential primary, senior members — including Presidential Office Secretary-General Chen Chu (陳菊), DPP Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) and Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) — stressed the importance of unity, with Chen declaring her support for Tsai, while DPP Legislator Chen Ming-wen (陳明文) led 34 party lawmakers in signing a letter endorsing the president.

It is said that a set of broken bowls and plates are hanging on one of the walls in the home of an eminent older Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member in Yilan. According to the story, during the dangwai (黨外, “outside the party”) era, many of the leaders of what would later become the DPP met in this house to discuss the movement’s direction.

During one discussion, the argument became so heated that the plates and bowls on the table were broken. However, no matter how heated the argument, when the beer came out after the meeting, everyone was happy, and they kissed and made up because they all knew it was nothing personal.