Hijacking island's well-being 'necessity' for DPP

Some civil society organizations in Taiwan invited the Mazu Temple in Meizhou, Fujian province, and the Guandi Temple in Dongshan, Fujian, to send their golden statues of Mazu, a Chinese sea goddess, and Guandi, the Chinese god of wealth and courage, to the island for a traditional blessing-giving tour.

However, the island's Democratic Progressive Party authorities have obstructed this cultural activity by demanding the inviting parties on the island explain its "necessity".

It is the DPP authorities that should explain their sensitivity to such a cultural activity. They are opposing the statues of Mazu and Guandi from Fujian being brought to the island, yet they allowed Mazu statutes from Kunshan, Jiangsu province, to visit the island in October.

The arbitrary change of heart by the DPP authorities and their indifference to the calls of residents on the island for the blessing tour to take place are "both unreasonable and rude", as the spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said.

The incident exposes the true obstacle to cross-Strait exchanges is the DPP.

The DPP authorities have also blocked the building of a cross-sea bridge between Kinmen island, and the 10-kilometer-away Xiamen city of Fujian province. It is from Fujian, mostly via Xiamen, where the 100,000 residents of the 152-square-kilometer Kinmen island obtain most of their basic everyday supplies, including drinking water.

Even though the DPP authorities know that if the bridge is built, it will greatly boost the development of Kinmen, they still choose to ignore what is the common call of Kinmen residents.

Over the years, the Chinese mainland has continuously taken concrete measures to promote the interests and well-being of Kinmen residents, including supporting Fujian promoting cross-Strait integrated development, realizing infrastructural connection between Xiamen and Kinmen.

The two incidents show how the DPP puts its own political interests before those of the Taiwan people, and imposes its own political will upon the latter.

That is why it is losing the support of the Taiwan compatriots, which is evidenced by the cold shoulder young people in Taiwan have shown the new "college plus service" program.

With Taiwan's compulsory military service being extended from four months to one year starting next year, the DPP authorities launched the so-called 3+1 program for college students. According to it, those participating in the program can obtain a bachelor degree and finish their military service within four years by spending their last year in barracks instead of on campus. Yet, as expected, the response from the university students to the program can only be described as tepid, as only 46 people have applied for it.

Taiwan residents can see clearly that it is the DPP authorities, which are determined to collude with external forces to "use force to seek independence", that are only intensifying cross-Strait tensions, seriously damaging the security and well-being of the residents of the island, and sacrificing the future prospects of the island's young people.