Sean Lien, the son of KMT Honorary Chairman for Life and KMT mayoral candidate for the KMT fiefdom of Taipei stunned the political universe this week by lunching with a bunch of foreigners. The event was widely mocked by netizens for its $500 NT lunchboxes (normal ones go for a fifth of that price), once again displaying the Lien clan's total lack of the common touch. The foreigners touched on various issues, Lien gave the KMT party line. Boring, and Lien dismissing claims that the FPEZ opposition is just pro-independence types, as longtime KMT observer Ketty Chen noted on Facebook, simply shows how out of touch Lien is.
In fact, you can simply follow any activity of Lien's with the phrase "...simply shows how out of touch Lien is."
More seriously, overheard on the internet: since Ko Wen-je in Taipei is an independent candidate, he cannot appoint election supervisors to count the ballots, according to the law independent candidates can't do that. Since the DPP and TSU have no candidate, neither can they appoint election supervisors. Hence, according to this longtime political observer, all election supervisors, responsible for assessing the validity of ballots, will be KMT.
Color me Sean Lien this week.
COMMENTER CORRECTS: "The NT$500 is inaccurate. Those boxes are afternoon tea set from hotel, NT$580+10%=NT$638 per head. Just because the sets are served in bento boxes so people mistaken them as bentos."
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Daily Links:
- China's SOEs test South China Sea
- Ben adds more to the post on KMT's colonial view below
- Geopolitics and China's fishing fleet
- Did China blink in the South China Sea? No, this is normal behavior for China. Take something, pull out, move forward, pull back.
- East Asia's geostrategy, Japan's defense
- China's tide of garbage trashing Taiwan's outlying islands. Pretty much a metaphor for Chinese relations with Taiwan.
- Liberty Times reports on the ugly reality of Chinese power: Hanban
ordered the European Assoc of Chinese Studies to remove a page from their conference brochure that extolled the many contributions of the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation to Sinology. So... the EACS... did. Ugly.No, the Confucius Institute got hold of the pamphlets and ripped them up before either the University or EACS knew. I hope the defenders of CIs will shut up now.
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If foreigners are buying NT500 lunch boxes, doesn't this violate their legal mandate of abstinence from political activity in Taiwan? I know some foreigners were deported or barred from entering the country due to their involvement or intended involvement in political activities in the views of the administration.
ReplyDeleteWere those lunch boxes used as political contributions?
Are foreigners now free to make monetary campaign contributions?
Not "The view from Taiwan" since you don't represent anyone else in Taiwan. Your title should be "A" view from Taiwan.
ReplyDeleteThat S.Lien video just reinforces my belief the guy is a clueless DOOFUS.
ReplyDeleteBlah, blah, blah I don't know what I am talking about. Blah, blah, blah I'm an idiot.
Educated in HK, UK and US? Yeah right.
Anon, the lunchboxes were provided by the Lien campaign.
ReplyDeleteI notice that social media is abuzz with the name '連公子', and none of it is complimentary. Having said that, the fact that there will be no-one from the opposition to oversee the election is deeply troubling. I do believe KMT is still able to cheat at the ballot box in normal circumstances so this is just handing them a veil to operate behind.
ReplyDeleteThe video was absolutely horrible to sit through, just absolutely horrible. Does he not realize just how bad he comes off??? His YouTube video has 91 likes and over 2k dislikes. I'm surprised he even had 91 likes on that thing.
ReplyDeleteThis is looking more and more like an awful trainwreck in slow motion...
@Les, I believe if Wo loses, and if the vote count is suspect, we will see the mother-of-all riots break out in the streets of Taipei.
ReplyDeleteSadly Anon, I think Taipei is too heavily loaded with deep-blue faithful for Lien to lose. They'd elect a pedophile ax-murderer if the party would run one. No-one is fooled into thinking Sean Lien has any abilities beyond being able to avoid choking on the silver spoon in his mouth, just as they're not buying the idea that Ko isn't a pan-green candidate.
ReplyDelete@Anon 11.21am - Did you mean Ko? If he loses and the vote count is suspect there will be absolutely no reaction aside from brief outrage from the DPP and Liberty Times. It would take actual video and audio evidence of direct voter fraud to a scale that tips the result in Lien's favour to even get the CEC to pay any attention. People on the streets? Maybe there might be a small protest on the night of the election but after that almost certainly not. Taipei is still largely deep blue and has only ever elected one independent and one DPP Mayor. Although some light blues might feel pissed off that Lien won they'll shrug and say at least the party stopped the DPP trojan horse from winning. Within a week of winning, Lien will be roundly hated by everyone in the city for the next four years. If Ko wins, Lien supporters might kick up a fuss but unless the polls show him within 2% of Ko before the election, they'll probably instead look for a convenient scapegoat in the party to stab their anger out on. Ko wins, and within a week of winning he will be roundly hated by DPP supporters for being a blue in green clothes and the city will hate him for the next four years, Plus ca change.
ReplyDeleteMr. Turton, I believe Anon11:15 has a strong point to make. You are only one of many and should change your blog title to "A View from Taiwan". In fact, you are claiming to much in saying, "Taiwan" since most of your time is spent in Taichung and you can't claim to represent a view from Taipei, Tainan or Hualien. This site should be called "A View from Taichung" although if you want to be more inclusive you could use the name "A View from Mostly Taichung with Occasional Views from Other Parts of the Country".
ReplyDeleteHmmm even that may be claiming too much since you undoubtedly split most of your time between home and work. "A View from a Home and University in Taichung with Occasional Views from Other Parts of the Country"?
Otherwise you're just being arrogant.
probably should just change it to "A view from a standing desk somewhere in Taichung" and be done with it.
ReplyDeleteI imagine the party elders envision electing Lien as a puppet through whom they an stage manage through a mayorship with more experienced actors behind the scenes. They may actually be implying this with the blue voters. Ironically, I think this was Lee's motivation for nominating Lien's father for president in 2000.
ReplyDeleteA puppet.
A proxy.
A pawn.
Some jerk [they] can really push around.
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Well, at least he doesn't smoke crack. Good thing Rob Ford set that bar really low, eh Taipei?
This is the first time I've heard him talk and he actually sounds like a stereotypical dumb jock. The sad thing is -- he's probably not even athletic.
"Taipei building look like... duh...match boxes... duh... and that makes it look like an ugly city... duh... my policy is to change things to make them prettier... duh..."
Hoooo...boy.
Ma looks like an Astrophysicist next to this guy.
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Michael: Oh, I dunno. You are IN Taiwan so "The View from Taiwan" seems appropriate. After all, you are not calling your blog "The ONE and ONLY View from Taiwan." "A" View from Taiwan is too delimiting and didactic. Too much like: and now for "My View from Taiwan." To me, the word "THE" connotes more breadth. With all the great photos of Taiwan landscapes and flora and fauna (insects too) and all the various links to current events and diverse opinion pieces, I think your blog title accurately reflects what you do: inform readers of THE diverse viewpoints, events, scenery, wildlife, and travel ops in Taiwan. And naturally your own viewpoint features prominently. Why not? No need to be mamby pamby. Personally, I think you should keep your blog title as is. Just my two cents. WP
ReplyDelete"The sad thing is -- he's probably not even athletic."
ReplyDeleteUh, I'd say that much is pretty obvious. There's a reason his other nickname is 神猪
Even if Michael wants to call his blog "The World Famous, the One and Only View from Taiwan" there would be nothing wrong with that. It is HIS blog. If Readin so desires, then go and create his/her own blog, and call it the World's Most Bestest Blog from Taiwan. I would have no problem with that either.
ReplyDeleteHow many of us have ever went to a restaurant that serves the "World's Best" burger or pizza and so on? And here we are arguing about "THE" versus "A"? Give me a break!
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Anonymous 8:16,
From the propaganda article you referenced...
"The Chinese leader was also said to have shaken Sean Lien's hand longer than any of the other delegates."
LOL!
That's probably because Lien forgot to release... duh.
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@TaiwanJunkie et al.
ReplyDeleteMy response to Anon11:15's post was lighthearted sarcasm, as was Mr. Turton's follow up (if I may presume to speak for him). You need not worry that he will change his blog title to "A view from a standing desk somewhere in Taichung" or "A View from a Home and University in Taichung with Occasional Views from Other Parts of the Country".
The NT$500 is inaccurate. Those boxes are afternoon tea set from hotel, NT$580+10%=NT$638 per head. Just because the sets are served in bento boxes so people mistaken them as bentos.
ReplyDeletesorry readin, read your comment a little too fast.
ReplyDeleteas for Lien's $600, I don't really see that as the problem. The problems are as follow:
#1 he was reading from a cheatsheet at what was suppose to be an informal meeting of the minds over lunch
#2 his thickly accented mumbling was meant to show off his English?
#3 perfect opportunity to show off his policies for governance... nothing...
that's the biggest issue here.
Thoughts on this: http://n.twitlonger.com/show/n_1s2opmu
ReplyDeleteNT$500 is because Lien Sr. once had ordered such lunch boxes, and his team was stupid enough to flaunt it. So people have been mocking Lien Sr. of the expensive lunch box ever since.
ReplyDeleteTo STOP Ma
ReplyDeleteWhat troubles me is that this extremely close connection to, this endorsement by, the Chinese Communist Part is not emphasized nearly enough.
It's combustible material: an idiot, easily manipulable candidate + a hostile enemy + long-term family financial interests tied to China + the absence of any military defense + an island already overrun by "tourists" claiming to own this piece of real estate = near-term conquest of Taiwan by China.
The KMT candidates who insist that there is nothing to fear are all those who have either a pre-arranged exit strategy or who aid and abet the enemy. So they have nothing to fear. Taiwan Independence advocates are guilty of treason and subject to the death penalty, in the eyes of Sean Lien's good friend and enthusiastic hand-shaker.
It is not hyperbolic to say that the Lien family behavior is treasonable, but to speak of treason in this context is perceived as hyperbolic in Taiwan.
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Anonymous 8:08,
I hear you with a thousand ears.
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Anonymous 8:08 AM
ReplyDeleteI used to say similar things when I worked at Formosa TV. Even in a rabidly pro-independence company (run as Trong Chai's personal fiefdom) it was considered hysterical to call Lien Chan's behaviour treason.
https://tw.news.yahoo.com/連勝文-650元便當-飯店餐點首度曝光-000502478.html
ReplyDeleteThose sets are at NT715$ each. Anon on 30 Jul did not check properly.
To
ReplyDeleteDo Androids Dream...
We are all familiar with the unique relationship between Taiwan and China, and that unique relationship, arguably, deserves some consideration when we consider these issues. But here are some well known facts:
China blocks every effort by Taiwan to connect with the rest of the world, unless that connection is mediated by China.
China insists that Taiwan belongs to it.
China aims its weapons at Taiwan.
China regards advocacy of Taiwan independence as treason, and punishable by death.
Directly or indirectly the Lien family profits greatly from its unique relationship with China.
And so on...
In addition to this, Taiwan is defenseless: were the People's Liberation Army to announce that it will land 5,000 soldiers in Danshui tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM, Taiwan would surrender immediately.
This would not matter for those who can leave Taiwan and it might not matter for those who curry favor with the Chinese. But those who think differently would be in great trouble.
Yes, I know that to many or most it sounds hysterical. But this is what a realpolitik assessment of Taiwan's current situation reveals. Sad to say, I'm not surprised that even the employees of Formosa TV regard this as hysteria. A sympathetic interpretation of their interpretation would be that seeing things clearly in this case leads to the unthinkable conclusion that Taiwan will soon by occupied by China's military. For those who find this too horrible to contemplate I feel compassion. But for those of us who cannot leave Taiwan and who will not change our advocacy of self-determination of Taiwan's future only by those who, likewise, cannot leave Taiwan, I feel great sorrow.
It is the majority who resist seeing things clearly that contribute to making occupation inevitable. Green media has not been helpful in this regard. Filled with blowhards who seem to treat their jabbing and sparring with the Greens as nothing more than a noisy child's game. The Green media, in its mode of expression, is as shameless as the Blue media.
Awesome. Lien Chan donated NT$10m to the victims of an earthquake in China some years back. God Pig donated NT$100,000 to the gas explosion victims in Kaohsiung, followed by another NT$2m when his handlers told him he was getting flayed on social media for being so stingy.
ReplyDelete