Democratic Progressive Party

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The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) (Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng; Traditional Chinese: 民主進步黨; Simplified Chinese: 民主进步党, Hanyu Pinyin: Mínzhǔ Jìnbù Dǎng; abbreviated to 民進黨 or 民进党; Hanyu Pinyin: Mínjìndǎng) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It has traditionally been associated with the pan-green coalition and de-jure Taiwan independence movement, although it moderated its stance during its tenure of the Taiwanese presidency. The DPP is a member of Liberal International and a founding member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats. It represented Taiwan in the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation. While the DPP is sometimes classified as liberal and its opposition as conservative, these classifications do not necessarily correlate to views regarding such issues as economic policy or the role of government in society.

[edit] History

The DPP has its roots in the liberal opposition to the Kuomintang's former one-party rule structure (officially the Tangwai - or "outside-the-party" - movement). This movement culminated in the formation of the DPP on September 28, 1986 to contest the Republic of China legislative election, 1986, although the nascent party remained technically illegal until 1991. It was founded mainly by family members and defense lawyers of political prisoners, strongly inclined to transform the political situation. Initially, the party did not actively support Taiwan independence (a move that could have led to its crackdown by the government) and had mainlanders among its ranks. Its platform was pro-environmentalist and pro-democracy. After many of its demands – such as the direct election of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and a Legislative Yuan wholly elected by the Taiwanese electorate – were met, the party shifted its focus towards the promotion of Taiwan independence in the 1990s, which the more liberal political atmosphere at the time permitted.

Once the DPP had representation in the Legislative Yuan (LY), the party used the legislature as a forum to challenge the government. However, it did not emerge as a formidable force until 1991, when the elderly LY members elected from the mainland provinces in 1948 retired. Fears that the DPP would one day take control of the legislature led then-President Lee Teng-hui to push through a series of amendments to strengthen presidential power (for example, the premier of the Republic of China would no longer have to be confirmed by the Legislative Yuan).

[edit] Rise in power

The DPP took control of the presidency with the election of Chen Shui-bian in 2000, ending more than half a century of KMT rule in Taiwan. Chen softened the party's stance on independence to appeal to moderate voters, appease the United States and placate China. He also promised not to change the ROC state symbols or declare formal independence as long as the People's Republic of China did not attack Taiwan.

The DPP became the largest party having reached a plurality in the Legislative Yuan for the first time in 2002 following the 2001 legislative election. However, a majority coalition between the KMT, People's First Party, and Chinese New Party (collectively known as the pan-blue coalition) prevented it from taking control of the chamber.

President Chen Shui-bian

In 2004, President Chen Shui-bian was re-elected by a narrow margin following a controversial assassination attempt on him only hours before the election. President Chen narrowly won the election over Lien Chan. Lien Chan demanded a recount the following morning. A judicial recount under the jurisdiction of a special panel of the High Court began on 10 May 2004 and ended on May 18, 2004. It was conducted by about 460 teams situated in 21 courthouses across the Taiwan area, employing Lee Tsang Yu. Each team had seven members – one judge, two members each from the district court and the local government election authorities and two witnesses each representing the plaintiff (pan-blue alliance) and the defendant (pan-green alliance). Disputed votes were sent to High Court in Taipei for verification. After the recount, President Chen was confirmed the winner of the election by a smaller margin (25,563 as opposed to 29,518 originally).

The DPP suffered a significant election defeat in nationwide local and county elections in December 2005. The pan-blue coalition captured 16 of 23 county and city government offices under the leadership of popular Taipei mayor and KMT Party Chairman Ma Ying-jeou.

The results led to a shake up of the party leadership. Su Tseng-chang resigned as DPP chairman soon after election results were announced. Su had pledged to step down if the DPP lost either Taipei County or failed to win 10 of the 23 mayor/magistrate positions. Vice President Annette Lu was appointed acting DPP leader. Presidential Office Secretary-General Yu Shyi-kun was elected in a three-way race against legislator Chai Trong-rong and Wong Chin-chu with 54.4% of the vote.

Premier Frank Hsieh, DPP election organizer and former mayor of Kaohsiung twice tendered a verbal resignation immediately following the election, but his resignation was not accepted by President Chen until January 17, 2006 after the DPP chairmanship election had concluded. The former DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang was appointed to replace Hsieh as premier. Hsieh and his cabinet resigned en masse on January 24 to make way for Su and his new cabinet. President Chen had offered the position of Presidential Office Secretary-General (vacated by Su) to the departing premier, but Hsieh declined and left office criticizing President Chen for his tough line on dealing with the PRC.

[edit] Separate identity

On September 30, 2007, Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party approved a resolution asserting separate identity from China and called for the enactment of a new constitution for a "normal nation" . It called also for general use of "Taiwan" as the island's name, without abolishing its formal name, the Republic of China.^[1]

[edit] Policies

Programs supported by the DPP include social welfare policies involving the rights of women, senior citizens, children, labour, indigenous peoples, farmers, and other disadvantaged sectors of the society. Furthermore its platform includes a legal and political order based on human rights and democracy; balanced economic and financial administration; fair and open social welfare; educational and cultural reform; independent defence and peaceful foreign policy.

The primary political axis in Taiwan involves the issue of Taiwan independence versus Chinese reunification. Although this is often portrayed in binary terms, both the major coalitions have developed positions that aim at a moderate core to the point where the differences between them can be quite subtle.

The current official position of the party is that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent and sovereign country whose territory consists of Taiwan and its surrounding smaller islands and whose sovereignty derives only from the Taiwanese citizens living on the Republic of China (Taiwan), based on the "Resolution on Taiwan's Future" in 1999. It considers Taiwan independence to be a current fact making a formal declaration of independence unnecessary. The DPP rejects the "one China principle" as the basis for official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and advocates a Taiwanese national identity which is separate from the national identity of the mainland People's Republic of China. The DPP argues that its efforts to promote Taiwan's national identity are merely an effort to normalize a Taiwanese identity repressed during years of what its supporters consider "outside" rule.

In contrast, the KMT or pan-blue coalition agrees that the ROC (Taiwan) is an independent and sovereign country that is not part of the People's Republic of China (PRC), but argues that a one China principle can be used as the basis for talks with the PRC. The KMT also opposes Taiwan independence, and argues that efforts to establish a Taiwanese national identity separated from the Chinese national identity are unnecessary and needlessly provocative. The KMT also asserts that at times these efforts from DPP are radical and becomes "fascist" (to which they later apologised) and "racist". At the other end of the political spectrum, the acceptance by the DPP of the symbols of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is opposed by the Taiwan Solidarity Union.

The first years of the DPP as the ruling party gave rise to questions on whether the DPP as a self-styled Taiwanese nationalist party was adequately sensitive to the ethnographic character of Taiwanese society, which in addition to arrivals from different eras and different regions of mainland China, also includes aboriginal minorities. It is sometimes accused of practicing Hoklo chauvinism.

The People's Republic of China has traditionally maintained an extremely hostile position toward the DPP, but has moderated its position somewhat since 2003 in order to prevent a backlash. The PRC has stated that regardless of the positions that the DPP has taken in the past that it will talk to the DPP if it accepts the "1992 consensus".

[edit] Structure

The party was formerly composed of a number of factions such as the New Movement faction (新潮流系), the Formosa faction, the Justice Alliance faction (正義連線系) and Welfare State Alliance faction (福利國系). Each faction advocated slightly different policies, but many of the factions were generational consisting of different groups which entered the party at different times. In 2006, the factions were officially dismissed.

The National Party Congress selects, for two year terms, the 30 members of the Central Executive Committee and the 11 members of the Central Review Committee. The Central Executive Committee, in turn, chooses the 10 members of the Central Standing Committee.

On July 23, 2006, at the party's general assembly, the delegates passed a resolution requiring the disbanding of all factions.^[2] The factions have since stated that they will comply with the resolution.

[edit] List of Chairmen

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• List of liberal parties
• Politics of the Republic of China
• List of political parties in Taiwan
• Liberalism in Taiwan
• Resolution on Taiwan's Future
• Wang Shu-hui

[edit] External links

• Official website

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