Taiwan's political temperature rose several degrees yesterday as the KMT and DPP traded fierce accusations and insinuations of unfair play in the runup to Saturday's vote.
While campaigning in Miaoli last night, DPP candidate Chen Shui-bian claimed that the KMT had dispatched senior officials to Beijing to ask authorities there for quick military action -- possibly military exercises near Taiwan -- in order to influence the election.
The KMT is "conspiring with outside forces against their own people," he said.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Chen provided no evidence to back up his claims, however, and the KMT's official spokesman immediately dismissed them as "unfounded slander" and "empty talk."
"Now that the campaign has entered into its final stage, the opposition is spreading rumors about the KMT," Huang said.
Huang said voters would surely make a "rational deci-sion," adding the KMT would never contemplate such a thing.
Earlier in the day, the election seemed to be degenerating into a name-dropping competition as the KMT tried to overtake the DPP in projecting itself as the party favored by Taiwan's social and business elite -- while at the same time repudiating claims that Chen Shui-bian was the natural choice to continue President Lee Teng-hui's (
President Lee himself denied that there was anything resembling a "Lee Teng-hui path" for Taiwan, insisting there was only the road of freedom and democracy.
"In fact, the so-called `such-and-such's line' can only emerge from an authoritarian regime, such as the `Mao Zedong (
The president's comments came as a response to statements made the previous day by one of this closest friends, Chi Mei President Hsu Wen-lung (
Lee was speaking to more than 200 representatives from the International Youth Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club who visited the Presidential Office yesterday.
The president said he firmly disagreed with "certain people" when they talked at length about the so-called "Lee Teng-hui path."
"I must reiterate that I am against concocting such a groundless and authoritarian slogan," Lee said. "It is not only inconsistent with Taiwan's interests, but also meaningless."
Hsu, the founder of Chi Mei Corp -- the biggest ABS supplier in the world -- is well known for his management skills, a passion for art and a devotion to Taiwan independence.
As a confidant of the president's, Hsu's endorsement of Chen is widely believed to have negatively affected Lien Chan's (
The KMT candidate struck back yesterday with a list of his own, however, containing the names of 100 prominent figures in business and academic circles.
They include Koo Chen-fu (
None appeared at Lien's press conference yesterday, and speculation centered on the fact that some of the names on the list had already endorsed the DPP's Chen.
They included Lin Hsin-yi (
Chen was also struggling to attract an audience to his press conference yesterday, this one with members of foreign securities houses. After Monday's 600-point drop in the TAIEX, the DPP candidate was at pains to reassure foreign investors that he would be a safe bet after the election as far as economic policy was concerned.
But several members of Taiwan's foreign broking community apparently were scared off by the sight of reporters at the venue where the meeting was to be held.
To those that did attend, Chen pledged that he would accelerate the process of internationalization of Taiwan's financial markets if he is elected president.
"Politics is temporary but the economy is forever," Chen said, adding that as an island, Taiwan's national security could be secured only when its economy is fully liberalized and globalized.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist