Speculation that People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) might be offered a key position in the Chen administration intensified yesterday as the caucuses of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the People First Party (PFP) continued to court one another.
Reports emerged that Soong might accept a purported offer by President Chen Shui-bian (
It was also reported that DPP caucus whip and acting chairman Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) went to the US last week to meet Soong to persuade him to accept the offer.
But Ker denied the report yesterday and said he did not meet Soong in the US.
Sources said that Ker did go to the US last week with the hope of meeting Soong, but that Soong did not agree to a meeting out of concern that Ker might not relay his intentions accurately.
It is also understood that Chen is willing to offer a government position to Soong, but that Soong has not accepted anything to date.
Ker ramped up speculation about DPP-PFP cooperation yesterday, saying the next two weeks would be crucial for any deal.
Soong is expected to return on Tuesday from the US, where he has been on holiday.
Ker praised a statement by Soong released before he went abroad that the PFP would compete with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and cooperate with other parties on domestic issues.
Ker said the statement was cleverly put together.
"James Soong is a political figure who understands the political situation well.
"President Chen made it very clear in his New Year address that there is nothing that cannot be discussed relating to cross-party reconciliation under the principles laid out in the address," Ker said.
"The president's meeting with Legislative Speaker [Wang Jin-pyng] yesterday also demonstrated that he wanted to talk with the KMT about political stability," Ker said.
When asked whether Soong would be appointed head of the Committee for Cross-Strait Peace and Development, Ker said that Chen stated he wanted a leader from the opposition to head the committee, and that one of the two leaders would be chosen.
"I don't know whether the DPP is in touch with Soong. I am just the acting chairman and I haven't been in touch with him," Ker said.
Meanwhile, PFP caucus whip Liu Wen-hsiung (
"Although there are many rumors about DPP-PFP cooperation, the PFP has two unchanging platforms: guarding the Republic of China and opposing independence, and never negotiating with other parties over government posts," Liu said.
Liu also denied that Soong had met Ker.
The PFP's central committee also denied that Soong had met with Ker yesterday. In a press conference held later yesterday, PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-ping (謝公秉) insisted Soong did not meet DPP members while abroad.
Also see story:
GET TO SAFETY: Authorities were scrambling to evacuate nearly 700 people in Hualien County to prepare for overflow from a natural dam formed by a previous typhoon Typhoon Podul yesterday intensified and accelerated as it neared Taiwan, with the impact expected to be felt overnight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, while the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration announced that schools and government offices in most areas of southern and eastern Taiwan would be closed today. The affected regions are Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi City, and Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as the outlying Penghu County. As of 10pm last night, the storm was about 370km east-southeast of Taitung County, moving west-northwest at 27kph, CWA data showed. With a radius of 120km, Podul is carrying maximum sustained
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
TALKS CONTINUE: Although an agreement has not been reached with Washington, lowering the tariff from 32 percent to 20 percent is still progress, the vice premier said Taiwan would strive for a better US tariff rate in negotiations, with the goal being not just lowering the current 20-percent tariff rate, but also securing an exemption from tariff stacking, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) said yesterday. Cheng made the remarks at a news conference at the Executive Yuan explaining the new US tariffs and the government’s plans for supporting affected industries. US President Donald Trump on July 31 announced a new tariff rate of 20 percent on Taiwan’s exports to the US starting on Thursday last week, and the Office of Trade Negotiations on Friday confirmed that it
RSS