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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Strength needed to avoid ‘psychopath next door,’ Ko says
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je talks to reporters in Taipei yesterday in connection with a job fair in the city organized by the OkWork job bank. Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je （柯文哲） yesterday said that Taiwan should take precautions and remain strong to avoid the “psychopath next door,” in an apparent reference to the Chinese government.
Ko made the remark in response to media queries about his comments in a TV interview broadcast on Friday evening.
In the interview, Ko said he thinks that Hong Kong is in trouble, as Beijing plans to replace it with Shanghai and Shenzhen, so “one country, two systems” might soon become “one country, one system.”
In light of this, Taiwan should know what it wants and what it should do, he added.
“If you live next door to a psychopath who yells every day that all of your possessions are his, would you go to his door and shout back: ‘What are you yelling about? These are obviously mine’ and fight with him?” Ko said in the interview. “Or would you put up iron window bars and doors, and just mind your own businesses?”
Asked yesterday whether the “psychopath next door” referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping （習近平）, Ko laughed and said: “Do not get me in trouble.”
“But seriously, I think the Beijing government must think carefully about the Hong Kong issue,” he added.
Beijing should stop blaming the CIA for allegedly inciting Hong Kong protesters and alleging that Hong Kong and Taiwanese independence groups are supporting the protesters, as the more than 1 million protesters indicate deep public discontent, Ko said.
Asked how people could avoid provoking the “psychopath next door,” Ko said that “iron window bars” and other precautions are needed.
Taiwan has to remain strong, because if the nation is too weak, Beijing would have no problem dealing with Hong Kong, he added.
Asked whether he believes he has a good chance of winning next year’s presidential election if he runs, Ko said he found from last year’s election that governing earnestly is not enough, as running an election campaign needs specialized strategies, publicity stunts and paid advertisements, which he dislikes.
“If it is possible, the best option for me is to earnestly finish my duties as Taipei mayor,” Ko said, adding that he does not want to run for president and still views municipal administrative duties as his first priority.
If he does not run in January, he would like to be a social critic instead, he added.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
