DPP candidates wrangle over Suhua construction

Aside from elaborating on their platform for government, the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) four presidential aspirants yesterday locked horns over the controversial construction of a freeway connecting Suao, Ilan County and Hualien in the first public debate organized by the party.

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said that he had ordered a second environmental impact study although the previous administration had already earmarked a budget for the Suhua freeway construction project.

"I will never pursue the construction project if the the result of the assessment is negative," he said at the debate, which took place at the Grand Hotel in Taipei. "If there is a clash between economic development and environmental conservation, I will favor protecting the environment."

Su also criticized his opponent, former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), for failing to work for the preservation of Lo Sheng Sanatorium in Taipei County.

Clean up

"If he had dealt with the matter, I wouldn't have to clean up after him," Su said.

In his defense, Hsieh said he did not arrange any budget for the Suhua freeway project during his term as premier but had proposed an alternative project so that people in eastern Taiwan would not suffer losses if the project were stalled.

Saying that the core values of local sovereignty include the defense of Taiwanese independence, care for underprivileged and achieving social justice, Hsieh -- citing the Suhua Freeway construction project as an example -- said that although many people are in favor of building such a freeway, "one needs to think clearly when one makes a choice."

DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun, meanwhile, said that he was careful to have the project go through an ecological evaluation during his term as premier.

"If I had not called a stop to the project and ordered an ecological evaluation during my term [as the premier], construction would have already started," he said.

Using his administrative achievements as Ilan County commissioner as an example, Yu said environmental protection has always been a prime concern.

"A few days ago, when the Environmental Protection Administration published an evaluation report of the nation's rivers, Dongshan River (冬山河) [in Ilan] remained one of the best in the country," he said.

On the issue of sovereignty, Yu said the DPP's Resolutions Concerning Taiwan's Future, passed in 1999, was outdated.

Abolish resolutions

The resolutions stipulate that "Taiwan, though still called Republic of China, is an independent sovereignty and any change to the independent status quo has to be decided by the people through a referendum."

The resolutions also stipulate that "Taiwan does not belong to China and that China's `one-China' principle or `one nation, two systems' principle do not apply to Taiwan."

Yu said he would propose at the party's national congress on June 30 to abolish the resolutions.

He added that he would change the nation's title to "Taiwan" if he were elected president and would not keep President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁)"four noes" pledge.

Yu said he would seek to develop normal cross-strait relations under the principle of "brotherhood," but he did not give detailed policies.

Asked whether he would support unification if majority of Taiwanese prefer unification, Hsieh said: "[Assuming that the public would prefer] unification is a strange theory because those who favor this should have relocated themselves to China by now."

In cross-strait relations, Hsieh said China would inevitably have to negotiate with the DPP should the party remain in power next year.

Hsieh added he favored pushing Taiwan's application for UN membership under the name "Taiwan."

Su said he was personally averse to unification with China and believed no Taiwanese would choose assimilation.

If elected, he would work to deepen Taiwanese consciousness and Taiwanese identity, Su said.

The country must use its economic power to resist Beijing's suppression of its diplomatic space, he said.

With respect to the national title and constitutional reform, Su said Taiwan is an independent sovereignty whose constitutional name is the Republic of China (ROC).

Until a new constitution that is timely, viable and relevant to the needs of Taiwanese is written, a public consensus must be formed.

Emphasizing the importance of national identification, Su said it is clear that Taiwan and China are two different countries and he would continue to build Taiwan into a normal country if elected.

Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said it was a waste of time to debate the issue of independence and assimilation because Taiwan is already an independent, sovereign state since 1996 when its people directly elected their national leaders.

She said the government should focus on promoting sustainable development and proposed what she termed "co-existence of production, environment, livelihood and life."

"There is only one Taiwan. Any development project must put the country's sustainable existence and public welfare as the first priority," she said.

Lu said more and more people have expressed dissatisfaction with the name, ROC, because it confuses the international community and evokes unpleasant memories.

She said, however, that any change to the nation's name must be peaceful, legal and constitutional.