Tue, Jan 02, 2007 page1

• President wades in to cross-strait fight

  TWO CENTS Although independence supporters might be split over how to deal with China, Chen Shui-bian said everyone in his administration was on the same page

  • By Ko Shu-ling and Shih Hsiu-chuan / STAFF REPORTERS
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  Offering little grist for policy analysts, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) used his traditional New Year's address yesterday morning to weigh in on an internal struggle within the pro-independence camp over cross-strait policy.

  The president's New Year's address has traditionally been closely watched by political analysts here and abroad, who parse his words looking for any shifts in policy.

  This year, however, Chen talked mostly about an alleged rift between himself and Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌).

  

  Costumed university students pose outside the Presidential Office building yesterday during the flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the first morning of the New Year. In his annual speech after the ceremony, President Chen Shui-bian said Taiwan's sovereignty lay in its own hands.

  PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES

  The president said that he and Su did not differ in their attitude toward cross-strait economic policy, despite media reports to the contrary.

  "I don't think there is any problem with the current cross-strait economic policy," he said.

  "There is only the path of `Taiwan first' and `Taiwan consciousness' in the government's cross-strait economic policy," the president said.

  "It is utterly clear that there is no such thing as a so-called `modified Su path,'" he said.

  "Modified Su path" is the phrase used by the local Chinese-language media to describe what is allegedly a more liberal and relaxed cross-strait policy embraced by the premier.

  The infighting within the pan-green camp recently intensified after the Cabinet announced its decision to allow Taiwanese chipmakers to apply to manufacture chips in China using relatively advanced technology.

  Su defended the move, ignoring criticism from former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and other pro-independence figures, who seek to limit interaction with China.

  Some analysts have interpreted Su's actions as a possible split with the president.

  However, Chen said yesterday that two years ago, the National Security Council (NSC) began to study the possibility of allowing Taiwanese chipmakers to apply for permission to make chips with 0.18-micron process technology in China, instead of continuing to use the old 0.25-micron process technology in their Chinese factories.

  The opening was postponed because of Beijing's passage of its "Anti-Secession" Law, Chen said.

  "It is two years late, but it is worth it because the chipmakers could keep their roots here in Taiwan," he said.

  When approached by the press for a response to Chen's remarks, Su said that the president had told him what his speech would contain the day before.

  "The president told me last night that he would include a paragraph regarding cross-strait policies in [yesterday's] speech. The president made it clear in his speech that the government is united and there is nothing wrong with recent cross-strait policies," Su said.

  The premier said that there could be no discord over cross-strait policies between him and the president, as policies must be approved by the president and the NSC.

  Chen also spoke about national sovereignty in his address, repeating his standard phrase that the territory of Taiwan covers 36,000km2 and that the sovereignty belongs to the 23 million people of Taiwan.

  Only the Taiwanese people have the final say on the country's future, he said.

  "Taiwan is part of the world, not part of China," Chen said.

  "Setting unification with China as the only choice for the country's future not only deprives the Tai-wanese people of their right to self-determination, but also violates the fundamental principle of democratic sovereignty," he said.

  Regarding joining the UN using the name "Taiwan," the president said that his administration would "take a different approach" with future applications.

  also see story:
  

  Wang supports flexible opening toward China
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