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Su backs Chen on scrapping the NUC

"Any government officials who commit crimes will be removed from my team for sure. No question about it. And these cases should be handled as fast as possible."

Su Tseng-chang, premier

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday said that the National Unification Council (NUC) and the National Unification Guidelines are contrary to the spirit of democracy and inhibit the Taiwanese people's right to self-determination.

"The guidelines and the council exist for the purpose of promoting unification with China. This is against the people's will and reality," Su said.

The premier made the remarks in response to questions from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislators Pan Wei-kang (潘維剛) and Chiu Yi (邱毅), who asked whether Su supported President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) proposal to abolish the council and guidelines.

The council is a symbolic institution that has not met in several years, and has a budget of only NT$1,000 (US$31).

Taiwan is an independent country whose sovereignty belongs to its 23 million citizens, Su said, adding that what that means is that only these citizens have the right to decide the country's future.

However, he noted, the goal of the guidelines and the council is to facilitate unification with China, thereby circumventing the freedom of the Taiwanese people to determine a course for the country.

Su added that the National Security Council is currently examining the issue.

Supporting chen

The premier was also questioned about whether he would support Chen's new approach on cross-strait policy, which advocates a harder stance on cross-strait relations and has been dubbed "active management, effective opening." Su said he will not only carry out the policy, but that he will also do his best in ensuring its implementation.

Yesterday was Su's first administrative report to the Legislative Yuan.

He told lawmakers that "fairness, hard work and honesty" will be his motto as he carries out his duties.

When asked whether relations between the US and Taiwan have suffered as a result of the president's speech about scrapping the NUC, and the US' subsequent open rebuke, Su said that Taiwan-US relations have not changed.

But KMT legislators did not share his view, and Chiu asked the Cabinet if Taiwan's top envoy to the US, David Lee (李大維), should be recalled because bilateral ties had hit a snag.

Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳), who was also present at the session, said Lee will stay in Washington to maintain "full communication and coordination" with the US.

"Lee is doing a good job. The president does not intend to recall him," Huang added.

Bribery-free pledge

Su was then asked about his attitude toward the investigation into the Kaohsiung Rapid Transportation Corp scandal and other instances of alleged graft by government officials. He said he was determined to maintain a bribery-free government.

"I fully support prosecutors. Also, I shall not allow politics to interfere with justice, either," Su said. "Any government officials who commit crimes will be removed from my team for sure. No question about it. And these cases should be handled as fast as possible."

Su then addressed economic issues. He said his Cabinet will pay equal attention to the business, industrial, agricultural and fishery sectors, and will deal with various infrastructure and economic development projects.

Su said he had invited Vice Premier Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to head an economic and financial task force under the Cabinet aimed at improving existing economic and financial policies and examining new initiatives.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) asked Su whether the president had allowed him to decide who to designate as his Cabinet members. Su said that the president simply asked him to "do his best for all to see."

"According to the Constitution, the authority to designate ministers responsible for foreign affairs, cross-strait relations and national defense belongs to the president. But he fully respected my opinions and my authority as well," Su said.

The premier told Lee that he would follow his own principle of "doing more and talking less."

"I am here to serve the people," he said.
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