This is the 16th issue of "Bay Area Lookout".
The Green Battalion continued to besiege Hou Youyi, and Mrs. Hou issued an open letter to refute it
According to the 97th wave of polls released by Taiwan's "Beautiful Island Electronic News" yesterday (26th), the support rate of the Chinese Kuomintang's "Hou Kangpei" suddenly fell by 3.2 percentage points, and the gap with "Lai Xiaopei" instantly widened to 9.5 percentage points. In the 98th wave of polls released today, although the gap between the two sides narrowed to 9 percentage points, it remained roughly unchanged.
Some observers on the island pointed out that in the absence of other emergencies, the sudden decline in Hou Youyi's support rating may be related to his "Kaixuan Garden" property near Taiwan's Chinese Culture University. In the case that Lai Qingde and Ke Wenzhe have taken action against illegal real estate, Hou Youyi's real estate is rented to students, although the relevant practice is legitimate, but it is extremely obstructive under the political manipulation of the DPP. There is even news that the DPP is preparing to gather all its propaganda forces to slam Hou Youyi's "charter public" issue in the final stage of the election, calling it "exploiting students at the Cultural University".
In response to the DPP's accusations for several days, Hou Youyi's wife Ren Meiling issued an open letter today (27th), clearly pointing out that the property was the property inherited before marriage and did not belong to Hou Youyi. She also said that by the end of the lease in June 2026, the "Triumph Garden" will be transformed into a youth house or social housing, and will continue to support poor young people with rental needs through donations.
Triumph Garden Source: Taiwan's "China Times News Network"
Ren Meiling said in the open letter that the "Triumph Garden" in Yangmingshan is the property left by her father to her family, and it is the original property that she inherited before she married Hou Youyi, and it does not belong to Hou Youyi from beginning to end. In the letter, Ren Meiling recalled the misfortune she experienced with Hou Youyi and the emotional bond of her family, saying that real estate is not only property for her, but also contains the care and memory of her family. Ren Meiling wrote that she and Hou Youyi's son died in 1992 due to the "burning car" incident (one of their sons died in 1992 due to a short circuit in the power line of a large tour bus), and her mother was worried that Hou Youyi would be in danger at any time as a criminal policeman, so she used the land left by Ren Meiling's father to build a house, hoping to give her daughter something to rely on.
Hou Youyi's campaign office held a press conference this morning (27th), and news contact Gao Shiqi read the open letter of Hou Youyi's wife Ren Meiling Source: Taiwan's "United News Network"
In fact, as early as 2018, when Hou Youyi was running for mayor of New Taipei City, the DPP authorities deliberately hyped up the matter in order to help Su Zhenchang. Ren Meiling also said in the letter that she thought that after a detailed explanation and strict inspection from all walks of life, the matter would pass. Unexpectedly, in this year's election of the leader of the Taiwan region, this matter was again confused by opponents. Ren Meiling explained that after the turmoil of the year, the property was contracted to be leased to Shin Kong Life Apartment Building Management and Maintenance Company, renamed "Kaixuan Garden", and the sublease price was also determined by themselves. Now in the final stage of the election, the people in the green camp once again used the "Triumph Garden" to smear and attack Hou Youyi, which made her feel helpless and very unbearable. Hou Youyi also felt unfair for his wife because he implicated his wife, thinking that this was the management of inheriting the family's land and did nothing wrong, but he was smeared and attacked by the green camp, and he was deeply sorry for his wife's parents.
Ren Meiling said that after the people in the green camp hollowed out their minds, they could only attack a house that did not belong to Hou Youyi, which means that Hou Youyi really has no flaws to criticize. This afternoon (27th), Hou Youyi also reluctantly said in an interview, "It's been five years, and I've been stirring up old things, manipulating some people to smear me, my wife feels sorry for me, and I'm very embarrassed for my wife, this is the property of my Yue family when I was not married." Hou Youyi said that he has been innocent all his life, and every penny he earns is legal, and there is absolutely no illegal source, and if there is any illegality, he will not be elected as the leader of the Taiwan region.
Jin Pucong, executive director of Hou Youyi's campaign office, said that the DPP's move is obviously to divert the focus and confuse the public, and Lai Qingde has not been able to give a clear explanation on the issue of illegal construction, so he has adopted this method to attack Hou Youyi and divert the outside world's doubts about them.
The green camp increased the "judicial mediation" and may stimulate Guo Taiming to express his position in advance
According to Taiwan's "China Times News Network", Zhou Diannon, the speaker of the Pingtung County Council of the Chinese Kuomintang who changed from "supporting Guo" to returning to the "Standing Hou", was interviewed and searched by the Taiwan local procuratorate on suspicion of assisting Guo Taiming, the founder of Hon Hai Group, to sign the joint signature of the leader of the Taiwan region in violation of regulations. In the early morning of yesterday (26th), Zhou Dianlun was detained and forbidden to see him, and his daughter Zhou Mengrong was bailed with NT$500,000. After Zhou Dianlun was taken into custody, Zhao Shaokang pointed out that the Taiwan prosecutors took this action less than three weeks before the election vote in order to suppress Zhou in Pingtung for the by-election of "Hou Kangpei", and more importantly, to threaten Guo Taiming not to come forward to support "Hou Kangpei".
Pingtung County Council Vice Speaker Lu Wenrui led 28 councillors yesterday (26th) to accompany Zhou's relatives to support Zhou's argument Source: Taiwan's "United News Network"
Zhao Shaokang said that Guo Taiming is not a candidate now, and even if there are problems in the signing process, the prosecutor is so anxious to detain people less than three weeks before the election. It is a very big matter to detain the speaker of the parliament, he (Zhou Dian'an) is elected by the local government, and he has a popular base, and it is very serious to take him into custody and ban. Zhao Shaokang believes that there are two purposes for the investigation: the first is to suppress Zhou Dian's auxiliary election in Pingtung, and on the evening of the 24th, Zhou Dianlun was also invited to stand on the platform, so why was he searched on the 25th? The second purpose is to suppress Guo Taiming, and everyone knows that the relationship between Zhou Dianlun and Guo Taiming is very good, and it is said that in the end, only Zhou Dianlun can see Guo Taiming. At this time, Zhou Dian's theory was put into custody, that is, "Guo Taiming, you give me caution, don't jump out to support Hou Kang", so that Guo Taiming's supporters "economic blue" will be affected, and the prosecutor will kill two birds with one stone.
Zhou Dian's third daughter, Zhou Mengrong, was also brought back for interrogation by the prosecutor, and after the retrial, she was bailed at NT$500,000. She stood up in solidarity with her father yesterday (26th), and in the face of the media, she only responded briefly, "judicial persecution". According to Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao", Jiang Genhuang, president of the Association of Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Taiwan, and speaker of the New Taipei City Assembly, said that when Zhou Dianlun attended the "Hou Kangpei" campaign in Kaidao on the 23rd, he had predicted that he would be searched, and the result became a prophecy.
Lu Wenrui, vice chairman of the Pingtung County Council, who is not a party member, led 28 members of the council to accompany Zhou's sons and daughters yesterday (26th) to support Zhou's arguments, shouting "Solidarity with the tough guy speaker, remove the green terror". Lu Wenrui said that Zhou Dian's platform on the 23rd and 24th was Hou Youyi and Zhao Shaokang, respectively, but Zhou's home, office, and the official residence of the speaker of the parliament were searched on the 25th, and the time was too coincidental.
Macao's "Xinhua Macao Daily" Fu Quan commented that the current election situation is fierce, and the Democratic Progressive Party is extremely afraid that Guo Taiming will stand up and publicly support Hou Youyi. However, the authorities' political detention of Zhou Dian at this time may be counterproductive, stimulating Guo Taiming to express his stance as soon as possible. In fact, two months ago, the local inspection department had already begun to investigate whether Guo Taiming had offered bribes in the process of collecting signatures. At that time, Zhou Dianlun and his daughter Zhou Mengrong were rumored to be "arraigned", but there has been "no movement". The Kuomintang (KMT) showed great momentum when it was building momentum in Kaidao on the 23rd of this month, putting great pressure on the DPP. As one of the local factional forces "supporting Guo Five Mountains" and having a strong "support for Guo" remarks, Zhou Dianlun personally went to Taipei to support "Hou Kangpei", and the DPP was afraid that Zhou would lead more "Guo fans" to support "Hou Kangpei", so they sacrificed the trick of "killing chickens and monkeys" and arrested Zhou Dianlun and his daughter.
Guo Taiming returned to Taiwan on the 24th of this month after traveling for more than a month, and the Kuomintang is hoping that he will openly support "Hou Kangpei" before the election and play a "kick in the door" boosting role. Fuquan analysis said that perhaps in order to avoid publicity and nuisance, Guo Taiming chose to return to Taiwan in a low-key manner. But at this time, it was rumored that his "iron fan" Zhou Dian's theory was arrested, which may make Guo Taiming himself have a greater sense of crisis.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has recently frequently used its ruling power to intervene in elections because of the increased pressure on Lai Qingde's "illegal construction turmoil". Following the interviews of 41 lieutenant governors in Taipei after they traveled to the mainland a week ago, the relevant departments in Kaohsiung recently named 18 incumbent lieutenant governors as defendants on the grounds that they had accepted funding from the mainland to help select specific candidates. However, the DPP authorities have continued to intervene and suppress their opponents in the form of "judicial" methods, and have investigated and prosecuted grassroots leaders who visited the mainland on suspicion of violating the so-called "anti-infiltration law." In this regard, Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said in response to a reporter's question today (27th) that the DPP authorities "want to add crimes, and there is no excuse." ”
"Taiwan's grassroots people, including the Li Chief, have been visiting the mainland for many years, but now they are interrogated, intimidated, and obstructed by the relevant organs of the DPP authorities from time to time, and some of them have even been accused of crimes and investigated. Is the DPP authorities trying to intimidate the people at the grassroots level by shouting and killing and committing vicious acts? Are they creating "green terror"?" Chen Binhua stressed: We understand the grievances of the Taiwan people who have been suppressed by the dictatorship, and we also firmly believe that the general trend of cross-strait exchanges is unstoppable. As the famous poem "Guiyuanpu" by the Song Dynasty poet Yang Wanli said: "Ten thousand mountains are not allowed to run a stream, and the sound of the stream is noisy day and night." At the foot of the mountain in front of you, the dignified stream comes out of the front village. ”
The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council held a press conference and Taiwan media focused on ECFA
The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council held the last regular press conference of the year this morning (27th), and a number of Taiwan media asked questions about the "Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement" (ECFA). Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, responded that the DPP authorities' stubborn adherence to the "Taiwan independence" stance, refusal to recognize the "92 Consensus," and undermining the political foundation for cross-strait consultations are the fundamental reasons why ECFA-related issues are difficult to resolve.
Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council Source: Chinanews.com
A Taiwan media asked: The mainland recently announced the termination of ECFA tariff concessions for 12 petrochemical products in Taiwan, and the Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council said that it was political manipulation and the purpose was to "mediate elections". If the competent authorities on both sides of the strait continue to hold consultations on this matter, and the Taiwan side does not adjust its trade restrictive measures, will the mainland side completely terminate the ECFA in the future?
Chen Binhua said that the ECFA was signed and implemented on the common political basis of the "92 Consensus". Any issues related to the ECFA can be properly resolved through cross-strait consultations on the basis of the "consensus of '92." The DPP authorities' stubborn adherence to the "Taiwan independence" stance, their refusal to recognize the "consensus of '92," and their undermining of the political basis for cross-strait consultations are the fundamental reasons why it is difficult to resolve ECFA-related issues. At the same time, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council also made it clear in its announcement on December 21 that it hoped that the Taiwan region would take effective measures to lift trade restrictions on the mainland.
Chen Binhua pointed out that if the DPP authorities insist on going their own way, continue to stubbornly adhere to the "Taiwan independence" stance, and refuse to repent of their ways, we support the relevant departments in taking further measures in accordance with the regulations.
Some Taiwan media asked that the mainland first suspended part of the ECFA tariff concessions, and then announced the lifting of the ban on the import of groupers from Taiwan. Such a "soft and hard-handed" policy may bring confusion to Taiwan businessmen, and whether or not to continue to invest in the mainland in the future will also make some Taiwan youths who want to invest in the mainland wait and see. Do you have any comment?
Chen Binhua said that the facts of the investigation into trade barriers to Taiwan are clear and reasonable, and the measures taken by the relevant departments on the basis of the results of the investigation are well-founded and restrained. Regarding the resumption of grouper imports from Taiwan, we have taken it on the basis of a comprehensive assessment of the rectification measures of farmers and fishermen in Taiwan based on the concept of "one family on both sides of the strait", which reflects that we have always respected, cared for and benefited Taiwan compatriots, and also reflected that we attach importance to the demands and interests of grassroots people such as farmers and fishermen in Taiwan.
In conclusion, Chen Binhua stressed: Taiwan businessmen know best whether the mainland's economic prospects are optimistic or not, and the investment data of Taiwan businessmen is the most convincing. From January to September this year, the number of projects invested by Taiwan businessmen in the mainland increased by 23.9 percent year-on-year, the actual amount of Taiwan funds used increased by 7.5 percent year-on-year, and the cross-strait trade volume reached nearly $200 billion, which remained at a high level. This fully shows that the bright prospects for cross-strait economic exchanges, cooperation, and integrated development have not changed, the determination of Taiwan businessmen to invest in the mainland has not changed, and the mainland's position as the best destination for Taiwan businessmen to invest has not changed. In the process of promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-style modernization, there will be more opportunities for the development of Taiwanese businessmen and enterprises, and the stage will be bigger, and they will certainly achieve greater and better development as always.
Author丨Yang Zhaoyuan, the chief writer of Shenzhen Satellite TV Direct News