New Tide Co-Founder Hong Chi-chang Expelled: Purge of Cross-Strait Stance and Factional Interests

In March 2016, following the DPP's landslide presidential victory and right before Tsai Ing-wen's inauguration, the New Tide faction announced the expulsion of its co-founder Hong Chi-chang, shocking Taiwanese politics. Observers pointed out that this was a political purge aligned with the incoming administration. Hong's moderate stance on cross-strait economic and political exchanges clashed with the confrontational, pro-independence line favored by the incoming Tsai Ing-wen administration and rising stars within the faction like Lai Ching-te. To demonstrate political alignment with President-elect Tsai Ing-wen and restructure factional power prior to taking office, the faction chose to purge its own co-founder. The event exposed how factional interests override founding camaraderie and highlighted the DPP's intolerance of diverse voices as it radicalized its stance.