"The removal of "unification" would mean there was no difference between the KMT and the DPP. If we can't distinguish between the KMT and the DPP, how can we persuade the electorate to vote for us?" KMT Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) said.
She said that the proposal was brought up as a result of "[the party leadership's] dancing to the tune of the DPP" and that this was "unnecessary."
Pan-green politicians were also divided in their responses to the KMT's plan to revise its party charter.
Some feared that the revision would be only superficial.
"The people won't believe that the KMT will act differently if they only change words and not their mindset," Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said yesterday when asked by reporters for his thoughts.
DPP chairman Yu Shyi-kun expressed similar views during a press conference at DPP headquarters, saying: "The KMT has not changed inside, it's still a conservative political party that hugs a big China and upholds ultimate unification."
Taiwan Solidarity Union legislative caucus whip Yin Ling-ying (
"It's a good thing, but what's more important is a change of mindset," Yin said. "They [the KMT] need to show real action, otherwise, the change is just superficial."
Vice President Annette Lu (
"It's great ? I hope that we [the two camps] will be less at odds with each other, and that there will not be as much conflict surrounding the independence or unification issue in the 2008 [presidential] election," Lu said when approached by reporters for comment.
DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (
"[The KMT's move] shows that it is getting closer to the DPP's ideas and although some may think the revision is only being made for the purpose of winning elections, I still think we should welcome it," he said.
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