HONG KONG -- The openness, mutual personal criticism and freedom displayed during the latest Taiwanese election were a refreshing contrast to the secrecy, sycophancy and control displayed before, during and after the Chinese Communist Party's 16th Congress.
After ending the Kuomintang's 53-year dominance over island politics in 2000 -- when Democratic Progressive Party leader Chen Shui-bian was elected president -- the DPP did not do as badly as it had feared. And for its part, the KMT (Nationalist Party), in seeking a comeback, did not do as well as it had hoped.
A markedly reduced turnout of Taiwanese voters on Dec. 7 delivered an essentially equivocal verdict on the two main political parties. Mayors and city councils were elected in the two largest cities, Taipei and Kaohsiung.