|
Lee lambasts nation¡¦s
lack of good leadership
By Lee Hsin-fang and Jason Pan / Staff reporter, with staff
writer
Former president Lee Teng-hui,
center, and his wife, Tseng Wen-hui, right, listen as film director Wu Nien-jen
talks about the importance of faith during critical times at a launch for two
new books by Lee yesterday.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Former president Lee Teng-hui (§õµn½÷)
yesterday said the government lacked good leadership and urged the public to
save the nation by carefully choosing a new leader in the presidential election
in 2016.
Worried about the nation¡¦s future, Lee said Taiwan had fallen behind other
countries and is now ranked last among the four Asian Tigers, trailing behind
South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong.
¡§Currently, we have no leadership for our country. The current leader has no
vision for national goals and he has no conviction. The leader is not working
for the well-being of the people, nor is he a modest man,¡¨ Lee said at a launch
for his two new books in Taipei yesterday.
¡§We are now in the 21st century, but what direction is Taiwan headed? This
country is unable to see the road ahead and the people have no confidence,¡¨ the
former president added. ¡§It is regrettable for Taiwan¡¦s economic development. We
are heading down the wrong road. Wages are not increasing and there is a large
gap between the rich and poor.¡¨
At the launch, economist Lin Hsiang-kai (ªL¦V·_) said that although Taiwan is
trailing South Korea in terms of overall economic performance, it is ahead of
South Korea when it comes to trade liberalization and open markets.
¡§So, should Taiwan move from unilateral opening up toward bilateral opening up?
Or should we maintain our current advantage in technology and innovation?¡¨ Lin
asked Lee.
In response, Lee said that South Korea used to lag behind the other Asian tigers
and Taiwan was the front-runner.
However, South Korea is now ranked as a developed countries while Taiwan remains
last among the Asian Tigers, Lee added.
¡§The main problem lies in the leadership of this country,¡¨ Lee said. ¡§After
2000, Taiwan¡¦s capital began flowing to China for investment, but economic
problems cannot be solved simply by adopting a free and loose economic policy.¡¨
¡§During my presidency we implemented the ¡§no haste, be patient (§Ù«æ¥Î§Ô)¡¨ policy
and at the time I was criticized for ¡¥closing the country to international
trade,¡¦¡¨ he added.
|
