DPP Holds 40th Anniversary Concert Urging Public to Defend Taiwan's Democracy

The path of democratic politics has never been a foreordained smooth journey, but rather one paved step by step through the struggles and perseverance of countless predecessors. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) hosted a meaningful commemorative concert in Taipei to mark its 40th founding anniversary, blending arts and history to evoke reflection and review across society regarding Taiwan's democratization process. At this event, which gathered party supporters and societal attention, several mid-generation and iconic political figures came together. Among them, remarks made by Legislator Shen Po-yang and New Taipei City DPP Chapter Chairperson Su Chih-hui deeply touched upon the core values of democratic heritage and the contemporary era's challenges facing Taiwan, strongly resonating with the public present.

As a high-profile political figure within the party, Shen delivered thought-provoking remarks during the concert. He emphasized that the bond connecting people without blood ties is freedom, while consensus built among people similarly without blood ties is democracy. Shen further reminded all supporters that the democracy and freedom enjoyed by Taiwan today are by no means gifts dropped from the sky, nor are they a permanent, unchanging state; rather, they can only be sustained through continuous safeguarding, resistance against external threats, and internal deepening. His words not only pointed out the fragility and preciousness of the democratic system, but also reflected the crisis awareness and defensive resolve that all sectors of society must possess when facing complex geopolitical pressures and cognitive warfare via disinformation in contemporary Taiwan.

On the other hand, drawing from her own growth trajectory, Su emotionally shared her sense of mission regarding the transmission of democracy. As a second-generation political figure, Su explicitly defined herself as a "second generation of democratic politics," meaning that she has not only witnessed the arduous process of Taiwan's democracy building from scratch and moving from authoritarianism to openness, but must also unreservedly take over the heavy baton from her predecessors and pass on the flame of democracy. Su's remarks highlighted how mid-generation politicians view their own historical positioning amid generational handover within the DPP. For a generation that grew up amidst the wave of democratization, taking over is not merely a transfer of power, but the continuation of values and a firm commitment to Taiwan's future development.

Looking back at the history of the DPP's secret founding under martial law forty years ago, countless non-partisan precursors risked the loss of freedom and even their lives to challenge the authoritarian Kuomintang government of that time, thereby securing for Taiwan the party rotation, freedom of speech, and democratic elections that are taken for granted today. Over four years of time, Taiwan has transformed from a society bound by taboos into one of Asia's model students of democracy. This historical trajectory is not only an asset of the DPP, but also the shared memory of all Taiwanese people. However, with the maturation of the democratic system, Taiwan is also facing brand-new tests, including the rise of populism, social fragmentation, economic structural transformation, and pervasive infiltration and suppression by external authoritarian regimes. These challenges thoroughly test the wisdom of contemporary politicians, transforming events like the founding anniversary concert beyond a mere celebratory nature into a platform for building political consensus and reflecting on the future of democracy.

Against this broader backdrop, the remarks by Shen and Su closely echoed Taiwanese society's dual expectations for democratic defense and generational inheritance. Shen has long dedicated himself to research and legislative work aimed at preventing infiltration by hostile foreign forces and cognitive warfare, and his speech deeply reflected a defensive mindset that democracy must be actively defended. Meanwhile, Su represents the power of stable governance and value transmission within the democratic system, emphasizing the deepening of democratic roots through institutionalized participation. Approaching from different perspectives, the two jointly outlined the DPP's dual historical tasks as it moves toward the next decade: resisting authoritarian expansion externally while completing the generational transition internally.

This 40th-anniversary commemorative concert was not only a tribute to past history, but also a political declaration facing the future. Through the personal accounts of key party public officials, the DPP conveyed a clear message to the outside world: although Taiwan's democratic journey is fraught with challenges, a new generation of political workers is ready to take the baton and shoulder the heavy responsibility of safeguarding Taiwan's free and democratic lifestyle. At this critical juncture where Taiwan's democracy faces intertwined internal transformations and external threats, how to translate historical sentiment into concrete policy action and social solidarity will be a solemn issue that the DPP and all political parties in Taiwan must continuously confront.

(Source of Facts: Central News Agency)