Skipping National Day to Visit Kaohsiung, Cheng Li-wen Sparks Political Controversy

The Republic of China’s annual National Day ceremony is set to be held grandly in Taipei, yet the political spotlight has shifted in the days leading up to the event, fueled by discussions surrounding the travel schedules of key political figures. Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wen recently confirmed through her staff and public itinerary that she will be absent from tomorrow’s National Day ceremony. Instead, she has redirected her focus to southern Taiwan, specifically Kaohsiung, for an inspection tour and related activities. In response to this closely watched political development, Huang Kuo-chang, who also serves as the chairperson of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), offered his interpretation during a public event in New Taipei today when approached by the media. Huang stated that Cheng’s decision to travel to Kaohsiung on National Day may stem from political considerations aimed at achieving a north-south balance, thereby preventing the media’s attention from being entirely concentrated on the venue in Taipei. Huang further emphasized that regardless of where political figures are physically located on National Day, the most important and core value is whether they truly place the nation first in their minds.

This political stir and the shifting of schedules reflect the political ritualism and maneuvering within Taiwan’s political landscape on this special occasion. The National Day ceremony has traditionally been the Republic of China’s highest-profile annual state celebration. By custom, the chairpersons of the major ruling and opposition parties, along with legislative leaders, are expected to gather in the plaza in front of the Presidential Office Building to witness the nation’s birthday and symbolize unity between the ruling and opposition camps. However, in recent years, as Taiwan’s party politics has undergone structural realignment and heightened polarization, the attendance of opposition leaders at official National Day ceremonies has become a key indicator for observers to gauge the dynamics of ruling-opposition relations, party autonomy, and political strategy. As the chairperson of a century-old major party, Cheng’s decision to skip the central celebratory activities in Taipei in favor of a visit to Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan has naturally drawn intense attention and diverse interpretations from across the political spectrum.

Beyond political interpretations, observers are also discussing the electoral strategy and local groundwork behind Cheng’s decision to head south. Kaohsiung, a political stronghold in southern Taiwan, has long been a contested battleground for the KMT and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and it remains a deeply entrenched base of support for the DPP. In recent years, the KMT has actively sought ways to break through the voter structure in southern Taiwan, aiming to expand its grassroots support base. By choosing to visit Kaohsiung in person on National Day, a day under the national spotlight, Cheng can avoid the potential awkwardness and political scrutiny that might arise from interacting with high-ranking officials of the ruling party at the Taipei ceremony. Simultaneously, this move allows her to demonstrate the KMT’s emphasis on the development of the central and southern regions through tangible grassroots engagement, attempting to overturn the existing perception that the KMT prioritizes the north over the south. This itinerary undoubtedly carries significant political symbolism.

The public comments from TPP Chairperson Huang Kuo-chang are also thought-provoking, highlighting the subtle tacit understanding and competitive-cooperative relationship among opposition parties. By interpreting Cheng’s schedule as a move to "consider north-south balance so that the media does not focus solely on Taipei," Huang offered a gentle reading of her decision, reflecting a collective understanding within the opposition camp regarding major state celebrations. Although the TPP and the KMT maintain cooperative relationships on many public policies and legislative bills, each party has its own calculations regarding party development and local deployment. Huang’s particular emphasis that "placing the nation in one’s heart is the most important thing" serves as a high-profile statement transcending party lines. It also represents a careful handling of discourse by opposition leaders facing state celebrations: avoiding harsh criticism of the ruling party’s ceremonial arrangements while providing a reasonable political face-saving exit for an ally’s absence.

From a broader perspective on the development of democratic politics, the National Day ceremony should ideally transcend party politics to become a moment of unity for the entire nation to celebrate the country’s birthday. However, in the reality of politics, it often devolves into a stage for political posturing or even boycotts. Over the past few years, leaders of both the KMT and the TPP have made a point of their attendance or absence on National Day, driven by dissatisfaction with the nation’s positioning or the government’s policy direction. Although Cheng’s decision to skip the Taipei ceremony in favor of a trip to Kaohsiung has been framed by Huang as having positive "north-south balance" implications, it still cannot fully mask the irreconcilable political divide between the ruling and opposition camps. When a national celebration fails to serve as a true point of cohesion and instead becomes an arena for parties to deploy strategies and calculate political interests, the maturity of Taiwan’s democratic politics and its internal cohesion are once again subjected to strict external scrutiny and deep reflection.

(Source: Central News Agency)