KMT backs out on DPP over probe into Chiang's China trip

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus yesterday announced it would withdraw from future cross-party talks to protest an investigation into KMT Vice Chairman and Legislative Vice Speaker Chiang Pin-kun's (江丙坤) recent trip to China.

"Unless the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] responds with goodwill, we will not participate in any cross-party negotiations in future," KMT caucus whip Chen Chieh (陳杰) told reporters yesterday morning, without elaborating on what would constitute a "goodwill gesture."

The first casualties of the decision will be negotiations over President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) nominations for the Control Yuan.

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who was to preside over the talks, announced that the meeting had been canceled, but he promised to talk to the KMT in a couple of days.

Wang said that he understood the KMT's reaction and considered it to be "natural."

"It is not surprising for them to express their displeasure with the judicial system meddling in politics," he said. "The treatment Chiang has received so far is unfair ... I hope the government will promptly deal with this incident, which has become political, or it will face more difficulties in future."

Chen Chieh said the investigation of Chiang indicated that the DPP government was using the judicial system as a tool to persecute opposition parties.

"Instead of appreciating the effort we have put into facilitating cross-strait economic development, the DPP government is using this sort of audacious political maneuver to repel its opponents," he said.

If the government failed to maintain political neutrality, future visits to China by KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and the party's legislative caucus as well as People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) possible trip to China would be affected, Chen Chieh said.

Earlier yesterday morning, PFP caucus whip Chen Chih-pin (陳志彬) said his party would not participate in the afternoon's negotiations because its presence was meaningless if the KMT caucus refused to show up.

Other factors had contributed to the KMT's move, PFP caucus whip Lee Yung-ping (李永萍) said.

"From the beginning of this session, the DPP caucus have been very stubborn and inflexible when it comes to negotiations," she said. "They don't seem to be sincere about putting into practice the 10-point agreement signed by President Chen and Chairman Soong and Premier Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) pledge to reconcile and co-exist with opposition parties."

DPP caucus whip Chao Yung-ching (趙永清), however, dismissed Lee's accusation, saying that the PFP should be held responsible.

Another DPP caucus whip, Peter Lin (林進興), said the party caucus regretted the KMT caucus' announcement and said that this was the third time the KMT caucus had refused to participate in cross-party negotiations since the session began one month ago.

"While the KMT is happy to reach a consensus with China, it refuses to talk with us," he said. "I hope it changes its mind and makes an effort to reconcile with us with the same enthusiasm it has with Beijing."

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KMT's trip `violated law': Chen