Puis il y a eu le facteur peur, la carte de l'intimidation. C'est là qu'est intervenu l'influence indirecte de la Chine dans les élections.
One can not thus say that it was a vote for “stability,” but more a vote out of a fear of instability.And this fear of instability was induced by both the Chinese side, through a number of statements that a choice for the DPP would lead to a break in economic relations, and the KMT itself, which played up these concerns.
POINT_1 : Des journaux proches du KMT ont publié des articles de propagande négative et de désinformation.
Comme un nombre important de journaux et de médias sont sous l'influence du KMT et du gouvernement de Ma, ces journaux se sont fait les véhicules d'une propagande partiales, médisantes contre Tsai et le DPP, au mépris de leur intégrité professionnelle et de leur vocation d'impartialité et d'objectivité. Ces journaux avaient aussi un intérêt financier à publier les publicités en faveur du KMT.
[Taipei Times: "Election shows need for reform in media"]
In the past the media have been accused of unfair and factually unsound reporting, political favoritism, inaccurate opinion polls and inflated vote counts. This time round, they were also quite happy to accept “infomercials” and other propaganda on behalf of President Ma Ying-jeou and the KMT.The media’s preoccupation with profit and their ideological stance made it easier for China to interfere in the presidential election.[These] did real damage to the success story of Taiwanese democracy and demonstrated that we still have some way to go before the country can be considered a normal democratic nation.
POINT_2 : Les business men se sont déclarés à grand bruit en faveur de Ma
L'intervention des dirigeants de grands groupes industriels taiwanais dans la campagne a certainement fortement influencé l'élection – car ce sont des "gens importants".
Le problème, c'est que leurs affaires ne sont pas forcément dans l'intérêt de leur pays : “businessmen have no country”. Ils défendent leur intérêt personnel, pas forcément d'autres sujets tel que l'emploi et les salaires à Taiwan.
[Taipei Times: "The DPP versus corporate greed"]
One group, above all, that made the case for continuity, or the “status quo,” was the corporate sector, which resents instability and stands to benefit tremendously from closer ties between Taiwan and China. it is based on self-interest. To put it in less charitable terms, greed.
Countless business leaders have put values, nationalism and even critical thought aside for a chance to enter this gigantic market. Beijing has used such ambitions to its advantage by extracting a series of concessions in return for allowing companies to operate on its territory. On the surface, things are no different when it comes to Taiwanese companies, only the relationship is inevitably more political, given China’s claims on Taiwan.
Let everyone go full steam ahead in investing and deepening business ties with China; profit allegedly awaits all. Some even suggested establishing political ties with China as well, as a means to cement these alleged profit gains.
POINT_3 : La décision des associations de fermiers et producteur de poissons de donner la priorité au commerce avec la Chine
A cause de l'achat par la Chine de produits d'agriculture et d'aquaculture, de nombreux fermiers ont voté pour le KMT.
The Washington Post recently published an article about a Taiwanese businessman who had invested in China, influencing the elections through his wealth and control of news media.However, this was only one element in the pervasive influence China exerted in these elections: The “agricultural purchasing missions” to southern areas and the throttling back of tourist groups prior to the polls were other means of “subtle” influence.
Enfin : 200.000 "taishang" - sur une population d'environ 1 million - sont revenus de Chine pour voter à Taiwan, et ont certainement voté en grande majorité pour Ma et le KMT.
C'est moins la menace de guerre que la menace de perte du business qui a compté.
