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DPP members lace up their sneakers for peace

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday appealed to China and the domestic opposition to apply the spirit of athletics to the quest for cross-strait peace.

Chen, who serves concurrently as DPP chairman, made the remarks yesterday at a run held to mark the party's 16th birthday.

It was the first time the party held an athletic event to celebrate its founding.

The run -- held at Taipei County's Panchiao stadium -- was led by Chen and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), with all of the party's high-ranking officials following behind them.

Sports, not war

Addressing the event's participants, Chen urged China to adopt the spirit of peaceful competition like "athletes on a playing field," instead of threatening Taiwan with military attacks.

Chen, who said that sports are "open and fair," also directed his comments to opposition parties.

Chen said that competition among political parties should be over policy and not "opposing everything just for the sake of opposing."

Chen also said that the DPP would keep implementing reforms in Taiwan as it works toward cross-strait peace.

More than 1,000 party members from all of the DPP's local branches were estimated to have participated in yesterday's event.

Conspicuous absences

But besides former chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), none of the party's former chairmen -- Shih Ming-teh (施明德), Lin I-hsiung (林義雄), and Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良), showed up at the event.

Shih and Shu left the party in 2000 and 1999 respectively.

Lin did not attend because he was working on an anti-nuclear power campaign.

The party has celebrated its anniversary with some sort of event every year since 1995, its ninth anniversary.

Most of the celebrations revolved around Taiwanese cultural performances or events promoting creativity.

In 1997, for example, one of the activities was a contest for best campaign poster for the local commissioner and mayoral elections.

After the run, Vice President Annette Lu asked the party to remember its roots in a closing-ceremony address,

She said that members should not forget people who take to the streets to have their voices heard, because that is where the party came from.

"There are people taking the DPP's old road. Being in power is the gift that the DPP gave to the public on its 16th birthday, but responsibilities are located where the power is," Lu said.

Tens of thousands of teachers were demonstrating for the right to form a labor union in downtown Taipei as Lu made her comments.

In the event's closing speech, Chen urged the party's members to cooperate in the run-up to the December elections and to support the party's candidates for the Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections, Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) and Frank Shih (謝長廷).

A speedy president

He concluded his speech by encouraging the party to strive to be "faster, higher, and stronger."

But several party members grumbled that Chen had perhaps taken it a bit too fast -- in the run.

Saying they had trouble keeping up with the president, they balked when he suggested they continue running past the proposed finish line.

"No way," many grunted.

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