Taiwan president announces NT$10,000 cash handout for next year; opposition questions timing

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te announced on August 17 that the government will distribute NT$10,000 (approximately $310 USD) to every citizen next year. This move aims to share economic growth dividends with the public, a policy that the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party has long advocated for.

However, Ko Chih-en, a KMT candidate for Kaohsiung mayor, expressed support for the cash handout while questioning its timing. She suggested the announcement, made just over three months before the year-end elections, could be a strategic move to boost the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) electoral prospects. Ko recalled that the DPP collectively opposed similar cash handout proposals last year, with some officials criticizing it as a waste of money or a tactic to influence elections.

Ko highlighted the perceived double standard, noting that DPP legislator Lai Jui-lung had previously criticized cash handouts as a means to "save a recall election." Now, with Lai Ching-te making the announcement, the same legislator praised it as a measure to "reduce burdens, care for the vulnerable, and stabilize livelihoods." Ko questioned this shift, asking if "money has blue or green affiliations."

She emphasized that while she supports sharing economic benefits with the public, she cannot accept the DPP's alleged "green energy, you cannot" (a play on words implying the ruling party can do what others cannot) double standard. Ko stated her consistent stance on the issue, having donated all cash handouts she received last year to charity and intending to do the same if the new proposal passes. She urged Lai Jui-lung to clarify whether the current proposal is a genuine economic benefit or a campaign tactic to secure votes.