President Chen Shui-bian (
Although Soong did not say who the family member was, PFP and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) officials later identified the person as Bush's brother Neil Bush.
Speaking to a crowd of more than 500 people in Yunlin County on Sunday, Soong said the US' high-profile reception for Chen was a result of the US$1 million that Chen gave to the Bush family.
A broker representing the Bush family had contacted KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
"A broker for the family member told Lien he could meet with the US president's brother if he was willing to pay US$1 million. I believe Chen was well received by the US because he paid the money," Soong said.
Soong described Chen's trip to the US as a spending spree.
"Chen promised to buy eight submarines," Soong said, referring to an arms package offered by the US in 2001.
"Chen boasted about his meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Panama. But during his exchange with Powell, he only managed to say: `How are you?'" Soong said.
"But Chen told our people the interaction with Powell was a significant diplomatic breakthrough. He lied to our people," Soong said.
The KMT and the PFP both backed up Soong's allegation.
KMT Spokesman Alex Tsai (蔡正元) said that when Chen and Lien announced their trips to the US several months ago, a broker came to Taiwan offering a meeting with Neil Bush for US$1 million.
"The broker said if Lien paid the US$1 million, he would have a meeting with Neil Bush and enjoy a high-profile reception in the US," Tsai said.
"But the KMT rejected the deal because it didn't have so much money. Besides, [such a meeting] didn't carry any substantial meaning," Tsai said.
Local media have reported that Chen's talk with Neil Bush lasted for 30 minutes.
Chen denied yesterday he had paid to meet anyone during the trip.
"My visit this time gained the approval and appreciation of more than 60 percent of the Taiwanese people. Compared to past [visits], it was quite a remarkable opinion poll result. But our opponents are still heaping on the abuse," Chen said during a speech at the annual conference of the North American Taiwanese Medical Association.
Chen said he could not imagine what had come over his political opponents.
"Trails are to be blazed by people. Don't judge a gentleman's belly with a petty man's heart," he said, using a Chinese idiom.
Chen expressed outrage at the opposition's claim that he spent US$1 million to meet with someone.
Deputy Secretary-General of the Presidential Office Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) also said that he was surprised by Soong's accusation and that such a groundless attack was a serious affront to the Bush family.
"Since the US government launched the global anti-terrorist campaign and took military action against Iraq, the PFP has demonstrated its strong anti-US attitude," Wu said.
"Now, the PFP has the nerve to deem American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairwoman Therese Shaheen unwelcome and to suggest that President Bush's family members accepted bribes from Taiwan," Wu said.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
CHINA POLICY: At the seventh US-EU Dialogue on China, the two sides issued strong support for Taiwan and condemned China’s actions in the South China Sea The US and EU issued a joint statement on Wednesday supporting Taiwan’s international participation, notably omitting the “one China” policy in a departure from previous similar statements, following high-level talks on China and the Indo-Pacific region. The statement also urged China to show restraint in the Taiwan Strait. US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and European External Action Service Secretary-General Stefano Sannino cochaired the seventh US-EU Dialogue on China and the sixth US-EU Indo-Pacific Consultations from Monday to Tuesday. Since the Indo-Pacific consultations were launched in 2021, references to the “one China” policy have appeared in every statement apart from the
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from