Ill-advised gift met with ‘rude’ response
Print Edition
A BRITISH minister has been left red-faced after giving the mayor of Taipei the gift of a watch, which is a taboo act in Chinese culture, only for the official to cause a storm by saying he will “sell it to a scrap dealer.”
Ko Wen-je, a high-flying surgeon and mayor of the island’s capital city, made the remark on Monday after being given the pocket watch by British transport minister Baroness Susan Kramer, who was visiting Taiwan on a trade exchange.
When asked by a reporter to comment on the gift, Ko said he might give it to someone else or “sell it to a scrap metal dealer ... because it would be useless to me.”
Giving someone a clock or watch as a present is traditionally taboo in Chinese culture due to the similar pronunciation of the phrases for “giving a clock” and “attending an old person’s funeral.”
Ko, who is known for his off-the-cuff remarks, drew a barrel of criticism from across Taiwan’s political spectrum for his perceived rudeness.
In response, his British guest tried to play down the embarrassment.
“I’m sorry. We learn something new each day. I had no idea a gift like this could be seen as anything other than positive. In the UK a watch is precious, because nothing is more important than time,” Kramer said.
She also highlighted the significance of the watch, which she termed as a “very unique item” from the House of Lords.
Ko presented Kramer with a miniature model of Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest skyscraper and an iconic feature of the city’s skyline.
An independent candidate, Ko, 55, was elected mayor of Taipei in the island’s local elections in November.
He sparked much controversy while campaigning for the post, including describing a female candidate from the Koumintang party as “young and pretty and fit to sit behind a (department store) counter.”
Although he was labelled as “loose cannon” by some critics, he has been tolerated by supporters despite a string of such gaffes.
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