Core Philosophy
Keep it real, Keep it possible.
The people of Taiwan are at the core of Taiwan People’s Party. Thus, it is our priority and duty to ensure that good governance is established based on the daily lives of the people. With our original intention to focus on "the general interests of Taiwan and the maximization of social welfare", we hope that Taiwan will become a more democratic place. We believe that "To walk fast, walk alone; to walk far, walk together."
Prosperous Society and Good Governance
TPP strives to create a Society of Inclusion, Co-prosperity, and Good Governance. Although we all have lived different pasts, we share a present. Together, we can work towards a common future. By practicing good governance, we aim to improve the quality of life for our people and create a better Taiwan.
The third largest party “Strongest Opposition”
The Taiwan People's Party (TPP) was founded on August 6, 2019. Despite being a new party, we strive to become an important political power in Taiwan. As of March 21, 2023, the latest poll conducted by the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation shows that the TPP has a party support rate of 15%, and stably ranked as the third largest party in Taiwan."
The chairman of the Taiwan People's Party, Ko Wen-je, stated that the media has been putting labels on us for a long time, saying that we don’t have a central ideology. If you ask a surgeon do they have a central ideology, of course they do. They want the surgery to be successful, they want to save the patient and make sure the patient receives postoperative care. It's no different in politics. But when we ask every other political party, 'What is your central ideology?' Whether they advocate for unification or independence, they never thought of “making our people's lives better."
Good governance is established based on the daily lives of the people. This is TPP’s core value. To achieve this goal, TPP has a clear concept: Creating a Society of Inclusion, Co-prosperity and Good Governance. Although we all lived a different past, we share a present. Together, we can work towards a common future. By practicing good governance based on the daily lives of the people, we aim to improve quality of life for our people.
"Public Opinion, Professionalism and Value"
The three key elements of policy making are "Public Opinion, Professionalism, and Value". It is impossible to satisfy everyone when making decisions, but we still strive to gain support from the majority of the people. The second factor is professionalism, where we rely on science to make decisions.
Value, in simple terms, refers to one's outlook on life. TPP advocates "not sacrificing long-term interests for short-term benefits, not sacrificing the interests of the majority for the benefit of the minority, and not sacrificing national interests for the interests of a political party." Our central idea is to help people live better lives rather than engaging in ideological wars. This is the biggest difference between us and other political parties.
National Governance: Five Political platforms
The Taiwan People's Party has 5 political platforms regarding national governance, including social security, economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, housing justice, and fiscal discipline. We hope that those who are disappointed by the blue and green parties can find new hope in the Taiwan People's Party.
Social Security
The first of our five political platforms is "Social Security." According to the Cannikin law, the capacity of such a bucket is determined by the shortest stave. Caring for the vulnerable groups is not simply a matter of charity or pity, but a way of protecting ourselves. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation, it is truly a challenge to take care of the vulnerables. If these people are not protected, it could pose a threat to the safety of the whole society. Therefore, social security is our top priority in our political platform.
Economic prosperity
Economic prosperity is the foundation of everything. The issue of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is probably one of the major concerns that the Taiwanese government must face in the next 15 years. Taiwan cannot scale back on exporting and halt business trading with foreign countries, so issues such as carbon tariffs and carbon fees are imminent. Unfortunately, the government's preparation for this has not yet been apparent.
The trade war between China and the United States has escalated into a comprehensive confrontation, which has had a significant impact on Taiwan's economy, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that lay the foundation of our economy. The government should ruminate on how to avoid structural impacts on Taiwan's industries under US-China confrontation.
Environmental sustainability
Environmental sustainability is also a critical issue. The 2021 referendum, whether it is the topic on Longmen Nuclear Power Plant or algal reefs, forces the citizen to choose between economic development and environmental sustainability. We advocate for balancing both sides, and by achieving balance, Taiwan can propel forward more steadily.
Residential Justice
For a long time, high rent and high housing prices have been the most hated issue for Taiwanese people. The complex problem cannot be solved in a simple way. To make housing affordable for people to buy or rent, we must construct social housing, implement graded rental subsidies, adopt property management, and reform the tax system. Moreover, we need to transparentize real estate transactions and take multiple measures to achieve residential justice in Taiwan.
Fiscal Discipline
Fiscal discipline represents an attitude. We have always opposed irresponsible fiscal policies. We can learn from the experience of Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je from 2014 to 2022 on ways to increase revenue, reduce expenses, and manage finances more effectively.
Foreign Policy
Ko Wen-je believes that "pragmatism" is the most important aspect.
Regarding the Chinese Communist Party's plan to invade Taiwan by force in 2027, how can the president defend Taiwan? Ko Wen-je stated that "We do not seek war but we are not afraid of fighting a war; we must be prepared for the war and be able to fight." Ko Wen-je believes that national defense shouldn’t be a slogan but the involvement and participation of the entire population.
He also emphasized once again that "pragmatism is key" regarding foreign policy issues.
US-China-Taiwan Relations
Mainland China is Taiwan's largest export market, accounting for 42.3% of Taiwan's exports, and there are more than 370,000 mainland spouses in Taiwan, with over a million Taiwanese studying, working, doing business, and settling in China. Despite the close economic and trade ties, the cross-strait relationship has deteriorated year by year. Only through communication, negotiation, and seeking mutual understanding can win-win situations be created. This was also the original intention of Mayor Ko Wen-je to continue holding the Twin City Forum during his tenure as mayor of Taipei.
Regarding Cross-Strait Relations, we advocate that both sides of the Taiwan Strait should understand and respect each other and maintain cooperation without conflict.
The peace and stability of Taiwan and East Asia is our top priority. We will do our utmost to avoid war, yet we are not afraid to fight if necessary. However, economic security must be established before bolstering national security. TPP advocates for the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund. Through expanding direct investment channels for foreign investors in Taiwan and Taiwan's foreign investment, as well as active participation in the international financial organizations, we can enhance Taiwan's international prestige and influence in the global capital market. At the same time, I believe that Track II Diplomacy is something Taiwan should and must do. We must actively reach out to influential non-governmental actors for dialogues and fortify Taiwan's existing grassroots organization to connect with the world on various issues.
Communication can promote goodwill, and goodwill can foster better communication, establishing a "cycle of kindness" for peace and the well-being of the people.
Three principles
of decision-making
Collective opinion
Instead of political conflicts and clashes of ideologies, Taiwan needs solutions to its challenges and fulfilling its promises to all Taiwanese. For this cause, we listen to and respect people from all sides and believe in collective wisdom shall triumph over the individual mind.
Professionalism
The fundamental principles of policy-making shall be based on professionalism with a rational, practical, scientific, logical, and fair process. It is the party's obligation to convince the public and tackle problems with reasonable and trustworthy stands.
Values
Democracy, freedom, diversity, open-mindedness, justice, human rights, caring for the underprivileged (charity), and sustainability are the fundamental values upheld by all Taiwanese. We advocate an open government with a full level of civic participation and transparency to serve Taiwan with love, honesty, and labor.
Taiwan’s
Values
Democracy
It is our goal to have an open-minded government where civic engagement is safeguarded by equality and the people are not bounded by political parties, ideologies, genders, races, or class.
Freedom
Tolerance is the foundation of freedom. People are free to exercise their freedom without interfering with others. We are committed to assure that freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear of the Taiwanese people not to be infringed.
Diversity
We promote diversity by embracing values from all races, religions, and communities. Through mutual learning, exchanges, and collaborations, we foster care and respect between people, thus enriching our Taiwanese cultural heritage.
Open-mindedness
We welcome new ideas regardless of a person's gender, race, class, or occupation. Our aim is to build an inclusive society that promotes acceptance and understanding.
Justice
To uphold justice and be abided by the people of Taiwan, our law-making process must be legitimate, reasonable, and free from any influences of political parties and figures.
Human Rights
Everyone is born free and equal and human rights are the symbol of a just society. Our dedication is to protect every Taiwanese of their rights to life, employment, accommodation, and education and that they are treated with dignity and equality.
Caring for the Underprivileged
The needs of the underprivileged are not only based on donations and sympathy but a system built on mutual values and respect. This also serves as a protective mechanism for our society to improve as a whole.
Sustainability
Policymaking shall have long-term planning instead of being based on elections and service terms. We emphasize stability in governance and discipline in financial control. We should contemplate this question: What is the Taiwan that we want to leave to our next generation?