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TSU claims KMT has betrayed itself

The KMT has betrayed its own party spirit by sidling up to the Chinese communists, officials from the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) said yesterday.

In addition, the decision to expel former president and KMT chairman Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) from the party will be critically judged by the nation's 23 million people, TSU Chairman Huang Chu-wen (黃主文) said.

Huang said that Lee has been upset with the KMT's direction under the leadership of Chairman Lien Chan (連戰).

"Former president Lee is heartbroken and very disappointed with his successor, current KMT Chairman Lien Chan, who has deviated from Lee's `Taiwan first' line and the party's anti-communist platform," Huang said yesterday.

"Now the KMT under Lien and the leadership of a few others want to judge Lee on the basis of some ridiculous evidence," Huang said. "But we believe the people of Taiwan will put the party and Lien on trial."

After learning that the KMT had revoked Lee's party membership yesterday, Huang called a press conference to defend the former president, who the TSU regards as its spiritual leader.

Huang also called attention to the huge decline in people who count themselves as KMT members, from roughly two and half million to around one million today. "The KMT, which has already lost its soul under Lien's leadership, has been rejected by many Taiwanese," he said.

In addition, Huang yesterday read from a document penned by Lee, written last week after the KMT delivered a letter to his home that suggested he quit the party on his own accord.

"The line of the KMT, under the leadership of Lien's faction, has deviated from the anti-communist, pro-democracy and `protect Taiwan' policies," Lee wrote.

"This kind of the KMT, under those people's leadership, has gradually moved to siding with the communists and opposing Taiwan," Lee said.

"I don't want to see the KMT being abandoned by the voters because of its movement in the wrong direction."

Huang said that while Lee sees much that is wrong with the KMT, he still has great affection for the party and is willing to discuss its future with KMT members.

"The KMT has consistently advocated anti-communism and pro-democracy throughout its history," Lee wrote.

"But now the party seems to have put away its `anti-communist' line. Those who are really concerned for the KMT should join with me and question whether such a KMT can survive in Taiwan."

Huang yesterday noted that while the KMT has been troubling itself over how to punish its former chairman, Lee himself has only been worrying himself over typhoon relief efforts.

"I told former president Lee in the morning that TSU candidates want to meet him to express our support," Huang said.

"Lee said that he was fine and urged us to spend our time and energy helping the victims of Typhoon Nari."
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