Zhao Shaokang is the most unique political figure in Taiwanese politics. His era as a political star is long gone. His failure in the Taipei mayoral election in 1994 has wiped out all his achievements in politics. After more than two decades, he has been watching Taiwan's political arena as a media person. As the Democratic Progressive Party takes power on the island, the media platform is also completely controlled by Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party. In 2020, Zhongtian News Channel, which was leaning towards the KMT, was shut down by the Tsai Ing-wen authorities. The only remaining voice channel for the Kuomintang is the China Broadcasting Corporation under Zhao Shaokang. He has also relied on his media advantages to become a media tycoon that politicians strive to please. In 2021, Zhao Shaokang made a strong return to politics, aiming to become the leader of Taiwan in 2024. However, he followed the lead of the Democratic Progressive Party and continued to attack the mainland, especially on the Hong Kong issue. What the specific situation is, let me tell you slowly.
Zhao Shaokang
Zhao Shaokang’s collusion with Hong Kong
In the 1970s, Taiwan’s economy ushered in a golden age of rapid development. A large amount of funds have poured into Taiwan's technology industry and cultural industry. Taiwan's novels, movies, TV series and variety shows have become the leader in East Asia. The development trend of lasted until the beginning of this century, and Zhao Shaokang also enjoyed the development dividends of this period, successfully transforming from the island's "political golden boy" into a powerful media tycoon. In 1994, Zhao Shaokang announced his retirement from politics after failing to participate in the Taipei mayoral election. Zhao Shaokang took away his and the New Party's election subsidies to establish UFO Radio and continued to expand his territory. Hong Kong is naturally one of Zhao Shaokang's goals because of its unique political status. In 2005, Zhao Shaokang became the host of Hong Kong Phoenix TV, and his program "News Hacker-Zhao Shaokang" also became the host of Phoenix Chinese Channel is a big hit. Ma Ying-jeou, Wu Dunyi, Hong Xiuzhu and others were once guests of Zhao Shaokang. Zhao Shaokang's ambition back then was to establish his own kingdom in the entire Chinese-language press world and become a media giant that could truly influence the Chinese world.
Media tycoon Zhao Shaokang
As the business in the media industry grew bigger and bigger, Zhao Shaokang also met Jimmy Lai, chairman of Hong Kong Next Media Group. Li Zhiying founded "Taiwan Next Weekly" in 2001, and the business landscape has many intersections with Zhao Shaokang. In 2003, Jimmy Lai's "Apple Daily" entered Taiwan Island . At the same time, it also brought its professional "paparazzi" team to Taiwan Island, which also profoundly affected the atmosphere of Taiwan's entertainment industry. Li Zhiying also gradually became friends with Zhao Shaokang. In 2009, Zhao Shaokang's son Zhao Dakai studied business knowledge with Li Zhiying. He can be regarded as Li Zhiying's student, and the relationship between the two families became more harmonious. After 2010, Jimmy Lai began to donate large sums of money to the rebels in Hong Kong. From 2012 to 2014 alone, he donated up to 40.8 million yuan in political black money.
Jimmy Lai
In 2014, an illegal "Occupy Central" incident occurred in Hong Kong. Rebels led by Hong Kong residents Zhu Yaoming, Benny Benny, and Chen Jianmin occupied the Central area of Hong Kong, causing severe traffic congestion and causing losses to a large number of businesses. And Jimmy Lai donated 200,000 yuan to the "Hong Kong Civic Education Foundation" where Zhu Yaoming works on April 23, 2013. It is obvious that Jimmy Lai is the financial backer behind this farce, and coincidentally, Zhao Shaokang was the It's actually in Hong Kong. Zhao Shaokang pointed out in a 2020 program that he had been to Hong Kong a few years ago and showed the outside world photos of the time. The photos show that Zhao Shaokang was indeed among the people involved in the illegal "Occupy Central" movement in 2014. Zhao Shaokang even proudly said, "I even took pictures of them there." As for why he arrived in Hong Kong and even entered the crowd, we don’t know. But judging from the relationship between Zhao Shaokang and Jimmy Lai, things don't seem difficult to explain.
Zhao Shaokang is in Hong Kong
On August 10, 2020, Jimmy Lai was arrested on suspicion of violating Hong Kong’s National Security Law, and Jimmy Lai’s two sons were arrested together. The eldest son, Li Jianen, is suspected of conspiracy to commit fraud, and the second son, Li Yaoen, is suspected of colluding with foreign countries or overseas forces to endanger national security. Zhao Shaokang immediately jumped out to cry out for the grievances of Li Zhiying and his family, and said: "How can this be done? Isn't this implicating the nine tribes? " In fact, this is not only a feeling of sympathy for things that harm their own kind, but It is also because of the close relationship between Jimmy Lai and Zhao Shaokang. Zhao Shaokang then spoke for Li Zhiying many times. Even on New Year's Eve in 2021, Zhao Shaokang even shouted to the mainland that he hoped Li Zhiying could go home for the New Year. After seeing that the propaganda had no effect, Zhao Shaokang began to roll around and attack the mainland without any hesitation. He once shouted to the United States on a program in March 2021 that he hoped that the United States would rescue Li Zhiying, and even suggested that the United States also internally arrest mainland people in exchange for Li Zhiying. His sinister intentions are clearly exposed.
The arrest of Jimmy Lai is a huge relief.
The political calculations of Zhao Shaokang and the Kuomintang
The collusion between Zhao Shaokang and Jimmy Lai is not only due to business interests, but also the cloud of American power behind it. In May 2020, Zhao Shaokang and his friend Yin Naijing invited Jimmy Lai for an interview on Taiwan's political commentary program "Countrymen Come to Hong Kong". Jimmy Lai directly admitted his relationship with the United States in the program. He claimed: "We really want to CIA, and I really want the United States to influence us. Their support is the only thing we can sustain. Foreign forces are ours." It’s very needed now.” In this way, Zhao Shaokang’s conspiracy began to surface. Zhao Shaokang's basic political stance is "pro-America" and he is extremely hostile to the mainland's red system. At the end of 2021, Zhao Shaokang said directly in a political debate, "I love the United States, I love the United States to death." The deep meaning behind it is self-evident. Zhao Shaokang hopes to get in touch with the United States through Jimmy Lai and others. This will increase their political bargaining power in Taiwan and seize greater benefits.
Zhao Shaokang invited Jimmy Lai
Today is the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to , and it should have been a day of universal celebration. However, politicians on the island of Taiwan chose to provoke the mainland at this special time. Tsai Ing-wen, Su Zhenchang and others of the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party have successively issued hostile and provocative speeches, once again trampling on cross-strait relations. . Zhao Shaokang, as the leader of the "Fighting Blue", the largest faction in the Kuomintang, and was once a guest on mainland programs, should have corrected his position. But Zhao Shaokang also wants to follow the DPP in attacking the mainland, and even intensify it. A few days ago, the document issued by NATO directly pointed at the mainland, and the mainland also made a stern response. However, Zhao Shaokang and others were sarcastic and sarcastic, claiming:
"Mainland is now the enemy of the whole world. We should look more at how Sun Yat-sen united the world's forces to overthrow the unequal treaties."
He also quoted Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s legacy: “We must unite all nations in the world that treat us equally and strive together.” The implication is that the mainland should follow the West and always be its "little follower", following its lead. He seems to have no idea what "equal treatment" means.
Zhao Shaokang went to Hong Kong with ulterior motives
On the Hong Kong issue, Zhao Shaokang and others also chose to follow the attitude of the United States. Zhao Shaokang bluntly said in the program, "It turns out that Hong Kong has not changed in fifty years, but in fact I even think it has changed." Statements like are obviously neither responsible nor objective. Whether you are a media person or the leader of the largest faction in the Kuomintang, you have lost your status. Judging from the reactions of all parties in the world today, it is not difficult to find that the Western forces led by the Americans have the same tone and are completely targeting the mainland. The Hong Kong issue is just an excuse for them to use the topic to play off the topic. In addition to parroting the topic, politicians in Taiwan also have their own political calculations. Among the important officials of the Kuomintang, Zhu Lilun and Fei Hongtai have successively made negative remarks against Hong Kong. Zhu Lilun issued a post cursing the mainland, and Fei Hongtai even claimed to be "heartbroken" for Hong Kong. These people used to be guests of the mainland. They visited the mainland many times and gained many political and economic benefits. Now that they have suddenly turned against the mainland, it actually proves that the Kuomintang has been treating the mainland in vain and deceiving the mainland for a long time.
Fei Hongtai
In the minds of Zhao Shaokang and others, they have long pinned all their hopes on the Americans. They think that as long as the United States supports Taiwan, they are safe and can do whatever they want. And the education they received since childhood is full of prejudice and hostility towards the communist system. This subconscious influence cannot be completely eradicated. A friend once gave a very insightful summary of the Kuomintang's mentality between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. He said:
"Mainland must be unconditionally good to Taiwan. However, there is no need to talk about reunification unless the mainland implements the same system as Taiwan. Taiwanese people have the patience to wait."
This is indeed the case. The mainland has invested a large amount of manpower for a long time. , material resources, financial resources, and interests all went into the pockets of Zhao Shaokang and other senior Kuomintang officials. However, the distance between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is getting farther and farther, and the great cause of reunification is even further away. Historically, the reason why we were able to put aside our past grudges and re-cooperate with the Kuomintang was because we had a common enemy, which was the Democratic Progressive Party, which wanted "Taiwan independence." We upheld the principle of "uniting all forces that can be united" and chose to trust the Kuomintang, but in the end we were betrayed and betrayed. In fact, the Kuomintang's opposition to the DPP is to wrest Taiwan's ruling power from the DPP's hands and regain the glory, wealth, and high official salaries. The mainland's opposition to the DPP is to achieve the great cause of reunification and to eliminate all separatist forces. The two have different ultimate goals, so naturally they will not really follow the same path.
Zhao Shaokang’s nonsense
In the Kuomintang, people like Zhu Lilun and Zhao Shaokang have torn off their pretense, and improving cross-strait relations is no longer their priority. In order to win the support of the people on the island who have been brainwashed by the DPP, will only further undermine cross-strait relations in order to flatter the West and the Taiwanese independence populists. We should also conduct further screening of politicians within the Kuomintang based on this point. For example, Hao Longbin, the former vice chairman of the Kuomintang who once clamored to interrupt the "three direct links across the Taiwan Strait", recently confirmed that he had not received an invitation to this year's Straits Forum. This is a very positive signal. The Kuomintang is full of mud and sand, and the good and the bad are mixed. We must carefully examine it to avoid someone taking advantage of the situation. " one country, two systems " has achieved universally recognized success in Hong Kong. This cannot be wiped out by Taiwan and Western forces with just a few lies. We proposed the "one country, two systems" Taiwan plan as early as 2019. If Taiwan cannot accept it in the end, then "one country, one system" will be okay.
Hao Longbin
The Taiwan issue can be discussed as an ideological issue in peacetime, but in the final analysis it is an issue of territorial sovereignty. Whether it is peaceful reunification or military reunification, territory is an important foundation and prerequisite that cannot be negotiated. We must get back the sacred territory left by our ancestors no matter what. In the context of peace and reunification, social systems and ideologies outside the territory can be discussed through negotiation. If it is under the background of military reunification, then retrieving Taiwan Island and its affiliated islands will become our most important goal, and the rest will not matter. For the Taiwanese people, the former is a friendly discussion, while the latter is a passive acceptance. It is clear at a glance which one is better. Nowadays, mainland China still has great patience for peaceful reunification, but I think patience and determination actually complement each other and convert each other.If the Taiwanese authorities remain stubborn, patience will soon turn into determination. At that time, the mainland will definitely use thunderous means to completely solve the Taiwan issue, and these forces that hinder cross-strait reunification will inevitably pay a heavy price.
