Illustration: Liu Xidan/GT

 
Since the end of June, Taiwan's regional leader Lai Ching-te launched a political campaign called the "10 lectures on unity," covering topics such as "nation," "constitutional system," "diplomacy," "democracy" and "prosperity." Although these talks are packaged under the banner of "unity" and touch on key political issues on the island, their true purpose is not to enhance Taiwan's competitiveness or cohesion. Rather, they are nothing more than a series of theatrical political performances and carefully choreographed power plays.

From the four speeches already delivered, it is clear that while "cross-Straits relations" has not been the official theme of any lecture, each one has either touched on or centered around the issue. In his speeches, Lai has distorted the history of Taiwan's development, twisted the legal and factual basis of the one-China principle, and incited misunderstanding and even hatred toward the mainland among the island's population. 

Lai's purpose in launching the "10 lectures on unity" and making cross-Straits relations a central theme is not to unite the island, but to "cleanse minds" and boost turnout in the "mass recall" campaign.

Since taking office, Lai has openly declared his ambition to "rebuild the nation," "transform society" and "cleanse minds" - all highly politicized agendas, with a clear undercurrent of "Taiwan independence" provocation. Over the past year, Lai's actions have sharply reduced cross-Straits exchanges and impacted economic ties. His rhetoric on "mutual non-subordination" between the two sides, claims of "five threats" from the mainland and labeling the mainland as a "hostile external force" are all part of a broader campaign to shape public opinion and "cleanse" political thinking on the island.

If Lai's earlier political posturing took place from behind his desk and through media channels, the "10 lectures on unity" marks his direct entrance into grassroots society. Each of the lectures is organized in collaboration with "civil groups," and features Lai giving speeches in front of ordinary citizens. But behind the public appearances lies a familiar agenda: By appearing in person and engaging directly with the public, Lai seeks to use his authority as the regional leader to spread fallacies, such as "mutual non-subordination" and "mainland threats," in an effort to cultivate a base of ideological "Taiwan independence" hardliners and advance his "cleanse minds" campaign. 

Beyond promoting "Taiwan independence" and misleading the public, Lai also harbors a calculated aim to mobilize support for the "mass recall" campaign. Since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) launched efforts to recall Kuomintang lawmakers, Lai has stayed behind the scenes. However, on June 20, Taiwan's election authorities confirmed that recall petitions for 24 Kuomintang legislators had passed, while none of the DPP's cases had succeeded. The very next day, Lai announced the "10 lectures on unity," with the series scheduled to run until just before the July 26 "mass recall" vote. The timing is so perfectly aligned that it is hard to believe it wasn't carefully planned. Moreover, the content of Lai's speeches during the lectures has only confirmed suspicions that he has taken the lead in orchestrating the "mass recall." Sensing potential gains, Lai has dropped the pretense and stepped into the spotlight to claim credit. It is highly unusual for a political leader to personally launch a large-scale recall campaign targeting the opposition, and such actions are not in line with the principles of "Western-style democracy."

In summary, the "10 lectures on unity" will not bring unity to the island. Instead, they will further damage cross-Straits relations, serving only the political interests of Lai and the DPP. Perhaps it is for this reason the initiative has sparked widespread dissatisfaction among the island's population. Multiple opinion polls show that only about 30 percent support the "mass recall" campaign. At the same time, Lai's approval ratings continue to decline. According to a June 30 poll by Taiwan's My Formosa news outlet, only 44.7 percent of respondents are satisfied with his administration, while 46.8 percent are dissatisfied; Lai's trust rating has dropped to just 45 percent - both record lows since taking office. Meanwhile, Lai's "10 lectures on unity" have provoked strong responses from the mainland. Ultimately, Lai's political maneuvering appears to be a one-sided wishful calculation - neither accepted by the public on the island, nor tolerated by the mainland.

The author is a research fellow at the Institute of Taiwan Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn