A way out of Hong Kong's polarised politics is possible
Tik Chi Yuen hears the outcry for an alternative at upcoming local elections that is neither simply pro- nor anti-government, but favours consensus and working within the system
To support or to reject the central government - these, it seems, are the only two political choices left in the wake of last year's pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. The vicious quarrel between the two sides has depressed most citizens. What people need is a third power that tolerates dissent, and can keep our city moving forward.
One solicitor told me recently that "lawmakers nowadays only know how to fight, but fail to make contributions".
He is not alone in holding such a gloomy opinion of political parties, as evidenced by a recent survey by the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese University, in which many of those polled said they were dissatisfied with and pessimistic about these parties.
In the views of many, Hong Kong's political parties cater to their own interests; they would rather act irrationally and engage in filibustering in the Legislative Council chamber than table useful suggestions to resolve the city's critical issues. People want political parties to widen their horizons, be tolerant of different opinions and work together for the city's economic, political, cultural and social development.
Likewise, many Taiwanese have been troubled by the fights between the two dominant forces - the pan-blue and the pan-green coalitions. People are tired of the years of conflict and combat.
Thus, the emergence of Tsai Ing-wen, the current leader of the Democratic Progressive Party and its candidate for the presidential election next year, has been a breath of fresh air.
Tsai wrote on her social media platform: "We join the presidential electoral battle not for the purpose of putting down the other political parties, but for the purpose of leading [Taiwan] to overcome tribulations and to truly move forward."
