Putting partisan feuds on the back burner, more luminaries from across the political spectrum have answered President Chen Shui-bian's (
KMT Vice Chairman Vincent Siew (
Meanwhile, People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), told reporters he would help the government implement agreements hammered out by the committee on which he turned down a seat, citing a lack of economic know-how.
Siew, the former premier before last year's transfer of power, confirmed yesterday morning he has accepted Chen's invitation to act as vice chairman of the ad hoc economic forum.
Chen will personally head the meeting and is expected to name about five vice chairmen, including Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
An economics expert, Siew is to attend the cross-party event as a KMT delegate. The main opposition party, whose chairman, Lien Chan (連戰), declined the same offer just days ago, previously expressed misgivings about Siew's attendance for fear that the KMT may be held responsible later in case the economic situation shows no improvement.
Apparently in order to counter charges that the KMT is more interested in partisan strife than public interest, Lien gave the go-ahead when Siew asked for his permission in a telephone call, according to news reports.
Chen has vowed to turn the economy around now that relations across the Taiwan Strait are stable, if rather cold. To that end, he has held out olive branches again to domestic foes as part of an attempt to rein in a confidence crisis among the public and the business community in particular.
Wang, dubbed the godfather of entrepreneurship who earlier blasted the government for failing to relax controls on China-bound investment, also confirmed he is to participate in the upcoming economics meeting.
"Of course, I will make it," he said, refusing to take further questions from the press.
Observers said the octogenarian was to represent the minor opposition PFP -- which has echoed his complaints -- after the Presidential Office indicated earlier it would not invite Wang.
Soong would not comment on the speculation but lauded Wang as "someone who will speak his mind" in the high-profile forum.
For his part, the PFP chairman said he would rather lend a helping hand in putting into practice remedies prescribed by the conference. Saying he was no economic expert, the former provincial governor turned down a seat on the economic panel.
But he added he would take the initiative and reconcile with Chen and his DPP after the conference in the hope of removing obstacles to boosting the economy.
A majority in the legislature, the opposition alliance has time and again voted down policy bills proposed by the executive branch.
The Presidential Office is to hold another preparatory meeting tomorrow to fine-tune the agenda of the economic conference that will address questions such as how to curb rising unemployment, create a better investment environment, improve trade ties with China and enhance the nation's competitiveness.
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