The Los Angeles Shengdong Taiwan Association held its Lunar New Year Annual Meeting and the inauguration ceremony for the new and outgoing presidents on February 1st (Saturday), with Zeng Yingming taking over as the new president. Over two hundred Taiwan compatriots gathered together to celebrate the new year. Originally scheduled to attend, DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) legislators Huang Jie (Kaohsiung) and Wu Peiyi (Taipei) were unable to attend in person due to the busy legislative affairs at the Legislative Yuan, and instead participated through video, urging the Taiwanese people to support the recall movement to rectify the chaos in the parliament.
After the 11th session of the Taiwanese Legislative Yuan was inaugurated for a year, in recent times, over 20 Kuomintang (KMT) legislators faced recall efforts by various civil groups. This “big recall” phenomenon is a significant test for Taiwan’s democracy and electoral processes.
Although legislators Huang Jie and Wu Peiyi were not able to attend in person, they expressed concerns about the political situation in Taiwan through videos. Huang Jie pointed out that this session of the parliament has been rife with chaos, with “pro-China” legislators blatantly passing laws detrimental to Taiwan, such as the “Parliamentary Empowerment Act,” liberalization of the naturalization period for spouses of Chinese nationals, and amendments to the “Anti-Infiltration Act.” She also mentioned controversies where the KMT (blue camp) and the white camp (People First Party) joined forces to pass laws on issues like the “Cross-Strait Regulations Act,” “Taxation Laws,” and “Budget Laws” without consultation with DPP (green camp) legislators. Huang Jie emphasized her commitment to stand firm and fight against injustice.
Wu Peiyi emphasized that the operating mechanism of this session of the Legislative Yuan is completely dysfunctional, with bills being forcibly passed by joint votes of KMT and white camp legislators. She criticized the Speaker of the Legislative Yuan, Han Kuo-yu, for being incompetent and unable to effectively coordinate the opinions of all parties. Wu Peiyi also mentioned that several controversial bills have sparked strong public backlash, leading to grassroots recall movements. She believes that the lack of professionalism and qualifications among KMT and white camp legislators has fueled public anger and expressed support for the “big recall.”
National policy advisors Tian Yihong and Lin Rongsong were also invited to speak at the event, expressing optimism about Taiwan’s future development, citing a flourishing economy and closer Taiwan-U.S. relations. They acknowledged the rising civic consciousness in Taiwan, believing that citizens will use democratic means to counter anti-democratic forces and are hopeful that the “big recall” will bring about change in Taiwan.
Yang Yueying, the outgoing president, expressed gratitude to the team for their support over the past four years. She reviewed the various activities organized during her tenure, including epidemic prevention efforts, gardening sharing, 228 series events, Taiwan-U.S. Traditional Week, active participation in Taiwanese elections, and keeping abreast of national affairs. She emphasized the association’s longstanding concern for the homeland and love for Taiwan, and hoped that under the leadership of the new president, there will be even more outstanding performances.
The newly appointed president, Zeng Yingming, stated that the association’s mission is to connect hometown sentiments, safeguard Taiwan’s interests, promote cultural exchanges, and more. In the future, they will continue traditions by organizing celebrations for the three major festivals, inviting renowned Taiwanese speakers to the U.S., supporting Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, and participating in promoting Taiwan’s local parades. He also hopes to recruit more new members to strengthen the association’s influence. The Shengdong Association upholds its mission to protect Taiwan, hoping that Taiwan’s democracy, freedom, and rule of law can sustainably continue.
The entire annual meeting was not only filled with joyous atmosphere but also focused on Taiwan’s current political situation and future development. Participants not only expressed concerns about Taiwan’s democracy and rule of law but also hoped to safeguard Taiwan’s freedom and democracy through the power of citizens.