On July 21, the Swiss media Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) published an exclusive interview with Shen Boyang, a candidate for mayor of Taipei from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The interview began with the theme “Being a Taiwanese is not easy,” introducing the Black Bear Academy, the contradictions in Taiwanese society, and the threat Taiwan faces from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Shen Boyang is currently facing threats from the CCP in the Taiwanese Parliament and cross-border suppression.
During the meeting with Swiss journalists, Shen Boyang sported a strikingly tousled head of hair. The reporter was surprised – this was the so-called “Taiwanese independence stubborn element” accused of “splitting the country” by the CCP’s propaganda outlets? Moreover, Shen Boyang politely apologized for being a few minutes late, speaking calmly and coherently.
Shen Boyang told the Swiss media: “Being a Taiwanese is not easy.” For the younger generation who have not experienced the martial law era, democracy is taken for granted. He believes that once faced with a real crisis, most Taiwanese are still willing to fight for democracy. Defending democracy is not only the responsibility of the military but also equally crucial for civilian resilience.
Shen Boyang explained that if the public believes that Taiwan is destined to fail, they will quickly give up resistance under CCP pressure. Therefore, he founded the Black Bear Academy to cultivate the public’s crisis response capabilities, teaching practical skills such as first aid, emergency supply preparation, and, most importantly, building the psychological resilience to remain calm in the face of war and various crises, enabling the people to truly understand the nature of threats.
The Swiss media mentioned that Shen Boyang’s political journey has not been smooth. Due to the chaotic nature of the Taiwanese Parliament, there have been several violent physical conflicts, with Kuomintang legislators often obstructing his speeches. Shen Boyang has been pushed off the podium and sent to the hospital for treatment when fighting for the microphone. Additionally, while walking on the streets of Taipei with his 5-year-old daughter, Shen Boyang was openly threatened by a man, prompting him to immediately report it to the police. Shen Boyang believes that the CCP is targeting him to intimidate Taiwanese society.
To prove that he will not back down, Shen Boyang continues to visit various European countries but deliberately avoids traveling to Southeast Asian countries that have extradited dissidents at the request of the CCP. The CCP has also sanctioned Shen Boyang’s father’s company, but its main operations in the Latin American market have limited the impact.
Shen Boyang pointed out that Taiwan and mainland China both use Chinese language, making it easier for the CCP to influence Taiwanese society through the internet. For example, during the last presidential election, TikTok featured a tagline saying “Taiwan can win without the DPP,” accumulating tens of millions of views.
The Swiss media concluded by stating that Taiwanese society still faces the contradiction of intertwining democracy and authoritarian history. Democratic defender Shen Boyang will challenge the incumbent mayor, Sean Lien, who is said to be the great-grandson of Chiang Kai-shek. Taipei is a stronghold of the Kuomintang, and current polls show that most people do not criticize the past authoritarian regime.
Although current polls indicate that Shen Boyang has a low chance of winning in the November election, if he were to give up the challenge due to a formidable opponent, that would not be the Shen Boyang people know.
(Source: Central News Agency)