Chu, Soong, Tsai outline policies in 2nd TV debate

2016/01/05

The three ROC presidential candidates Eric Chu, James Soong and Tsai Ing-wen fleshed out key policies in response to questions from Taiwan civic groups in their second and final televised debate Jan. 2 in Taipei City.

Addressing national development issues ranging from economy, finance, judiciary and labor to technology, the trio was bullish on upgrading the country’s Internet infrastructure, maintaining the independence of the ROC Central Bank and implementing judicial reform.

Chu of the ruling Kuomintang proposed introducing court assessors into the nation’s legal system, a view shared by his peers. “It is the president’s duty to uphold justice and promote judicial reform,” he said. “By implementing this mechanism of impartial assessment, we can minimize the chance of questionable rulings.”

The KMT chairman also plans to better protect the rights of workers by seeking amendments to existing labor laws. “We will address this issue by strengthening the enforcement of labor standards while boosting the overall salary structure in Taiwan,” he said.

“Employing a three-pronged strategy to spur economic growth, we are more than confident in our ability to raise the minimum wage from NT$20,008 [US$606] to NT$30,000 in four years.”

Soong of the People First Party chimed in with a four-point scheme to keep Taiwan’s economy on the growth track. “Small and medium enterprises are the bedrock of the nation,” he said, adding the government must spare no effort in assisting them enhance competitiveness in the global arena.

“Our first priority is to help local SMEs upgrade management and manufacturing capabilities,” he said. “This will be done by finding them secure sources of capital and a steady supply of quality labor. Then we can start working on bolstering distribution channels to help grow their international footprint.”

The PFP chairman believes a leader must offer a vision and quickly realize it by managing available resources. “Taiwan needs someone who knows how to integrate differences and join efforts to achieve the common goal,” Soong said.

This sentiment was echoed by Tsai of the Democratic Progressive Party, who called for unity to take the country’s development to the next level. The DPP chairwoman pledged to work with her rivals after the election in facing the challenges ahead.

“We will lay a solid foundation for Taiwan’s sustainable growth by uniting all forces in favor of reform,” she said. “This is to be accomplished by transforming local politics through bridging generation gaps, improving government efficiency, kick-starting reform of the legislature, realizing transitional justice and putting an end to party disputes.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=240884&ctNode=2194&mp=9)