Taiwan People’s Party Statement
President Lai’s "Tea Show" Does Nothing for Governance; Sincere Dialogue with the Opposition Is the Only Way Forward

 

Regarding President Lai Ching-te’s invitation to Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu for a so-called "national affairs tea meeting," which was politely declined, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) expresses its respect for President Han’s refusal to allow the executive branch to use him as a prop for political posturing.

 

During an inter-branch coordination meeting chaired by President Lai this February, President Han directly urged Lai—then in his capacity as DPP Chairperson—to call for an end to malicious recall campaigns. Not only did this appeal fall on deaf ears, but the situation also intensified. President Lai instead launched his "Ten Lectures on National Unity," openly calling for a "cleansing of impurities."

 

To this day, President Lai has shown no sincerity regarding dialogue or reconciliation. Instead, he attempts to manufacture an illusion of political  harmony through hollow formalities. Such political manipulation is meaningless and serves as an affront to the opposition.

 

Since taking office, President Lai has consistently turned a blind eye to—and even encouraged—actions within the ruling party that undermine the Constitution and disrupt the constitutional order, including the weaponization of the judiciary to suppress dissent.

With partisan confrontation at a freezing point, President Lai refuses to face the constitutional deadlock of his own making.

Unwilling to engage in substantive political dialogue with opposition leaders, he chooses instead to retreat into his echo chamber within the Presidential Office.

His attempt to invite President Han for tea is merely a tactic to use Han as a shield to deflect attention from his administration's incompetence.

This escapist, superficial approach demonstrates just how ineffective the Lai administration is in managing government-opposition relations.

 

The TPP solemnly reiterates: "He who tied the knot must be the one to untie it."

 

The nation’s current predicament stems from the arrogance and lawlessness of those in power. If President Lai genuinely cares about the country’s long-term stability, he must immediately take the following three actions:

 

1. Uphold the Rule of Law The executive branch must cease its malicious obstruction of legislative oversight, respect the democratic mandate of the new Legislative Yuan, stop eroding the principles of the rule of law, and return to constitutional democracy.

 

2. Ensure Impartial Law Enforcement State institutions must maintain strict neutrality. The ruling party must stop manipulating prosecutors and the judiciary as political tools to purge opponents, and must work to restore public trust in judicial fairness.

 

3. Engage with the Opposition The most direct and effective method for genuine cross-party dialogue is open, face-to-face communication between party chairpersons. President Lai should set aside his arrogance, step out of his echo chamber, and engage directly with opposition party chairs to jointly deliberate on national affairs and address the nation's real challenges.

 

We call on President Lai to stop playing political PR games and to demonstrate the vision and responsibility befitting a Head of State. Only concrete actions in response to public opinion can resolve the current constitutional turmoil; otherwise, the situation will spiral out of control.