Lee Kuan Yew meets with President Chen

On his second day in Taiwan, Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew (李光耀) yesterday met with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Mainland Affairs Council chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) respectively to exchange views on cross-strait issues.

"Both [Chen and Lee Kuan Yew] have agreed not to make the details of their two-hour, 10-minute talk public," a Presidential Office official told the Taipei Times yesterday, adding that "the atmosphere at their meeting and dinner was harmonious."

Lee Kuan Yew had previously said that he was visiting in a private capacity and, therefore, would maintain a low profile during his stay in Taiwan. However, Lee Kuan Yew's strong connection with Chinese leaders has caused many political observers to speculate that he may have brought messages from Jiang Zemin (江澤民) to Chen and may try to further pressure Taiwan not to lean toward independence from China.

Many also believe that Lee Kuan Yew would be a suitable mediator for cross-strait issues, although DPP Legislator Hong Chi-chang (洪奇昌) told the Taipei Times yesterday that he disagreed.

"The US provides more channels to communicate on resuming cross-strait talks," Hung said, adding that Lee Kuan Yew was not familiar with Taiwan's stance since he had not been in Taiwan for some six years.

Earlier yesterday morning, MAC chairwoman Tsai also met with Lee Kuan Yew in a closed-door meeting at the Westin Resort in Ta Shee.

The details of their talk, however, were not available. Meanwhile, outside the hotel, activists from the Taiwan Independence Party (TIP, 建國黨) staged a protest. Some 20 party members unfurled banners that described Lee Kuan Yew as a "broker to betray Taiwan," while they chanted for him to leave as soon as possible.

"Why is it that Singapore can gain its independence from Malaysia, while Taiwan is not allowed to do seek the same independence?" TIP Secretary-General Huang Yu-yen (黃玉炎) asked.

Protesters later gathered in front of the Taipei Guest House where Chen and Lee Kuan Yew met, shouting "Lee Kuan Yew is China's puppet!"

Lee Kuan Yew used to have a close relationship with former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), but their relationship has since become strained in the wake of the former president's declaration that cross-strait relations were to be "state-to-state" in nature.

Lee Kuan Yew's hotel in Ta Shee is only 10 minutes away from Lee Teng-hui's residence, but the two have no plans to meet each other.

Lee Teng-hui stayed in Ilan County the night of Lee Kuan Yew's arrival in Ta Shee, returning to Taipei to attend a church ceremony yesterday morning.

When reporters asked whether Lee's Kuan Yew's visit would help unlock the cross-strait deadlock, Lee Teng-hui said, "No, [he's] no help at all," before leaving Taipei's Shuang Lien Church (雙連教會) yesterday morning.

In addition, the National Security Council's deputy secretary-general Chou I-jen (邱義仁) also met with Lee in Ta Shee, but refused to give any comment during a telephone interview with the Taipei Times.

Director-General of the Government Information Office Chung Chin (鍾琴) yesterday confirmed that Premier Tang Fei (唐飛) secretly met with Lee Kuan Yew Saturday night.

"Tang insists that he met with Lee in a personal capacity, and that no further details can be revealed," Chung said, adding that Tang and Lee had known each other for years. Chung added that Lee requested the meeting and insisted that the content of the talks should not be leaked.