Though Lien Chan (
Chen had invited the KMT chairman, along with People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), to serve as a vice chairman on the economic council.
The KMT declined the invitation yesterday, saying that bringing politics to the council would do little to help solve the nation's economic problems.
Still, "for the sake of the country," the KMT said it would participate -- despite a recent brouhaha over a DPP proposal to investigate the KMT's vast assets.
"The council is organized purely to promote economic development and shouldn't involve Machiavellian politics," KMT spokesman Wang Chih-kang (王志剛) said. "We think inviting political party leaders to serve as vice chairmen of the council would politicize the group."
According to Wang, the KMT has chosen Koo Chen-fu (
The KMT yesterday also handed in its list of proposed council members, which consist of 14 academics, members of the party's think tank and lawmakers.
Though the list was scheduled to be turned in by Friday, the KMT had delayed in protest over the DPP's proposal to investigate the KMT's assets, which are widely believed to have been improperly transferred from the state to the former ruling party. The KMT says the proposal is "defamatory" and damaging to the atmosphere of inter-party cooperation.
Some KMT lawmakers have urged the party to quit the council.
Wang said the KMT has decided to continue to participate on the council because of the economic problems facing the country. "The KMT will never be absent from an occasion favorable for the well-being of the people," he said.
The DPP legislative caucus yesterday said Lien's decision to turn down a role as vice chairman of the council was regrettable, and urged the president to extend another invitation to him.
Tsai Huang-liang (
In addition, Tsai said, the participation of party leaders is symbolic of inter-party cooperation.
"People have lost faith in the government, mainly because of the struggle between political parties," Tsai said. "They now expect cooperation ... to rebuild foreign investor and business confidence in the government."
Though the PFP has also expressed skepticism over whether Soong should participate on the council, the PFP has yet to turn down President Chen's invitation.
Chang Hsien-yao (
PFP lawmakers yesterday called on their party leadership not to accept Chen's offer to Soong, and said the DPP should stop trying to politicize the council.
"The ruling party should stop trying to create the false impression that all political parties are to endorse [the council's] policies," Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋), convener of the PFP legislative caucus, said.
Diane Lee (
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