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Make Kaohsiung a second capital: Lu

Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday urged Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) to lead the call to turn the southern city into the nation’s second capital.

Lu said Chen should urge president-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to choose Kaohsiung as the second capital and fight for the redistribution of administrative resources to balance development between the northern and southern parts of the country.

“Shouldn’t we launch another round of administrative planning? Does our capital necessarily have to be located in Taipei?” Lu said during the inauguration of the city’s north-south rapid transit route.

“What I have been proposing is that Kaohsiung can at least serve as the ‘second capital,’” she said.

Lu lauded the operation of the mass rapid transit line, saying it had allowed the “voices of southerners to be heard” around the country.

DEMOCRACY

The vice president also urged the residents of Kaohsiung — considered by some as a stronghold of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — to demonstrate their “democratic beliefs” and accept the result of the March 22 presidential election.

“Although the DPP has to hand the power over on May 20, we also have to respect the choice of the people,” she said.

“Since president-elect Ma has shown his respect for Kaohsiung by choosing to hold his inaugural banquet in the city, I call on Kaohsiung residents to be good hosts [on May 20],” she said.

DEMONSTRATION

Lu did not specify what she was referring to, but her remarks came after independent Kaohsiung City Councilor Cheng Hsin-chu (鄭新助), a former DPP member, on Tuesday revealed his plan to lead listeners of his pro-independence radio program in a demonstration when Ma arrives in Kaohsiung.

Cheng said he could imitate the campaign led by former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) to oust President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and “welcome” Ma by holding up banners and letting off firecrackers as soon as Ma and his foreign guests arrive.
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