Former Economic Minister Guo Zhihui said that the height of a country does not depend on how high politicians stand, but on how far into the future they can take the people. On National Day this year, President Lai Ching-te described Taiwan's national vision as "a city on a hill, salt on the ground, and light on the world." This is not only a firm declaration of democratic values, but also a deep expectation for Taiwan's future development.
He pointed out that in an era when artificial intelligence is sweeping the world, international supply chains are accelerating the reorganization, and geopolitical risks are increasing, Taiwan needs not only to maintain today's prosperity, but also to create a competitive advantage for the next generation. A city on the top of a mountain cannot only have a dazzling skyline, but also needs a solid industrial foundation; the progress of a country cannot only have bright economic figures, but must also allow every people to see hope and share in the results.
Kuo Zhihui believes that looking back on Taiwan's economic development over the past few decades, from traditional manufacturing and international trade to the semiconductor and information communications industries, we have established an irreplaceable position on the world economic stage with our diligence, innovation and tenacity. However, semiconductors can be Taiwan's national protector, but they cannot be the only growth engine. A truly powerful country does not have only a few industries at the top of the world, but allows traditional industries, small and medium-sized enterprises and the service industry to grow together with technological progress.
This is the most worthy policy direction that President Lai emphasizes on using technology to drive industrial upgrading.
Guo Zhihui said that he has been involved in industrial management for a long time and has also participated in the promotion of national economic policies. He knows that corporate transformation is never a slogan. Traditional manufacturing needs to improve production efficiency and added value through digitization, automation and artificial intelligence; the medical and biotech industries should combine precision health, smart care and preventive medicine to create new business opportunities in an aging society; international trade should deepen its global layout and move from product exports to integrated exports of technology, brands and services.
In particular, Taiwan's vast number of small, medium and micro enterprises are an important force supporting employment and the local economy. While the technology industry is enjoying the dividends of the global AI wave, traditional industries are still facing rising costs, labor shortages, insufficient funds, and pressure from international competition. The government should actively assist companies to cross the threshold of transformation.
Guo Zhihui said that no matter how ambitious a national vision is, it requires a stable system and a rational political environment to realize it. The administrative department has the responsibility to propose policies and implement them; the legislative department should carefully review and effectively supervise. The two can check and balance each other, but they should not restrict each other; they can adhere to different ideas, but they cannot let the country's development become a victim of political party wrestling.
The value of democracy lies in accommodating different voices; the maturity of democracy lies in its ability to transform differences into constructive force.
Regrettably, at this year’s National Day Convention, Legislative President Han Kuo-yu brought the general recall and political disputes between the government and the opposition to the podium of the national celebration in his speech, once again triggering social discussions on political opposition.
National Day is a holiday common to all people, not a political stage for any political party. As the Speaker of the National Assembly, he should be beyond party-minded and build social consensus, instead of letting the important moment that should unite the people fall into political offense and defense again.
Hanguo-yu described the gap in industrial development as "high-tech makes people laugh, but traditional industries suffer", which indeed points out issues that Taiwan's economy must face squarely.
Guo Zhihui disagreed with Hanguo-yu's remarks, believing that pointing out problems is only the most basic ability of politicians; proposing solutions, promoting cooperation, and assuming responsibilities are the real governance skills. If we sincerely care about traditional industries, we should support policies that help enterprises upgrade, promote reasonable budget reviews, and assist small and medium-sized enterprises in expanding international markets, instead of allowing industrial difficulties to become fodder for political offense and defense. What the industry needs is action to solve problems, not slogans that create opposition; what the people expect is the power to move the country forward, not arguments that make society idle.
He emphasized that politicians should understand that before supervising others, they must also accept the test of themselves by the people.
In September this year, the "Taiwan Public Opinion Survey" announced that President Lai Ching-te's degree of satisfaction with his administration was 51.4%; the "Beautiful Island Electronic News" survey in the same month was 47.9%. In the survey in Formosa Formosa, only 22.9% of people were satisfied with the overall performance of the Legislative Yuan, and 62.0% were dissatisfied.
Opinion polls from different organizations cannot be directly compared, let alone determine political rights and wrongs based on satisfaction levels. However, such a bleak public opinion rating of the Legislative Yuan deserves at least deep introspection by congressional leaders.
Guo Zhihui thought of a rather ironic scene: a student whose grades were not satisfactory and was even facing academic probation stood on the podium and plausibly criticized others for not being good enough. This certainly does not mean that students with better grades do not have to accept criticism, but it reminds us: before asking others to take responsibility, should we also produce our own transcripts?
The president's governance must be supervised, and the deficiencies of the executive branch must also be tested; similarly, the quality of Congress' deliberations, policy contributions, and political responsibilities cannot be left out of public opinion testing.
Supervision does not mean denying everything, and checks and balances do not mean blocking everything. A truly powerful opposition party should be able to propose better policies than those in power; a truly organized congressional leader should be able to find consensus amidst opposition and safeguard national interests amid disagreements.
If politics is all about mutual accusations, no matter how loud the slogans are, it will not be able to create a job for the people, open up a market for the enterprises, or create a future worth looking forward to for the next generation.
The "city on a hill" described by President Lai should not just be a beautiful vision on the National Day podium, but should become a direction for the government, Congress, enterprises and the people to work together.
This city needs technological innovation as an upward force, industrial resilience as a solid cornerstone, democracy and the rule of law to protect common values, and economic achievements to illuminate every corner of society.
Kuo Zhihui said that Taiwan has gone through the era of thorny roads and has also reached an important peak in the global technology industry. The challenge in the future is not whether we can continue to move upward, but whether we can see further when we stand higher and let more people move forward together. National development requires criticism, but it also needs construction; it needs supervision, but it also needs responsibility; it needs competition, but it cannot lose unity.
On this National Day, I would like to put forward a common expectation to all politicians: less disputes of will and more ambition to manage the world; less political calculations and more practical actions to benefit the people.
Kuo Zhihui called on President Han Guoyu to think together with all political parties in Congress: In the face of Taiwan's industrial transformation, international competition, and the future of the next generation, what constructive results can the Legislative Yuan leave for the country?
A city on a mountain is not built with words, but with foresight. The true height of a politician does not lie in how impassioned he is when criticizing others, but in looking back at history and seeing what he has left behind for this land.
