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Vice president Lu says Lien has `no conscience'

Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday accused former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰) of "having no conscience" for going to China to hold talks with the Chinese Communist Party.

Lu strongly condemned Lien's latest trip to China, accusing him of "abusing" Taiwan by making money here but undermining Taiwan's interests while in China.

"Three generations of the Lien family have acquired tremendous wealth in Taiwan. However, simply because Lien failed to be elected president twice, he goes to China and trashes Taiwan. Lien Chan, where is your conscience," Lu said yesterday.

The vice president made the comments in Taipei while addressing a local meeting of the Rotary Club International.

Lu lambasted Lien for saying nothing good about Taiwan during his speech at the CCP-KMT forum held in Beijing on Friday.

"Yesterday's CCP-KMT forum was aimed at discussing economic prosperity, but nothing was said recognizing Taiwan [and its economic achievements]. It was as if Taiwan was too shameful to be mentioned." Lu said.

The vice president also said that the reason Taiwan's high-tech industries were able to become so advanced was because of the preferential conditions and treatment they get from the government.

Lu yesterday also urged Lien to demand that China stop threatening Taiwan with the use of force.

Citing increases in China's military expenditure, Lu said Lien's failure to be elected president led to the KMT's boycott of Taiwan's defense budget, which only amounted to US$7.65 billion over the past four years while China's had increased from US$20.2 billion to US$35.1 billion during the same period.

Lien is currently in Beijing to participate in the second KMT-CCP summit and discuss ways to further liberalize cross-strait economic exchanges.

At the summit on Friday, Lien said Taiwan's future development relied on China and urged those in Taiwan not to "demonize" China in the face of its rise.

He said Taiwan's economy has stagnated over the last six years and the reason it has managed to maintain an economic growth rate of 3.57 percent was because of its trade surplus with China.

Lien criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government for being slow in opening up cross-strait charter flights, saying its economic policies were inappropriate and had led to a stagnation in Taiwan's economic development.

He further advanced his idea of a cross-strait common market, saying cooperation could be realized in the agricultural, financial and energy sectors as well as cross-strait charter flights.

KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said Lu's remarks reflected a "group anxiety" shared by the DPP government, while urging the government to respond to people's needs.

"So many Taiwanese business-people have gone to China, and local businessmen are yearning for Chinese tourists. We hope that the president and vice president can consider people's expectations," he said yesterday after attending a tea party with Taipei residents at the 228 Memorial Park.

Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih

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