Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) yesterday confirmed reports that he wanted to resign because of health and family reasons. President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) rejected the request.
“I tendered my resignation to President Ma Ying-jeou on Monday,” Chiang told reporters yesterday morning before giving a presentation in the legislature on the latest round of negotiations with China. “I made the decision because my health is deteriorating a year after taking this position and because I wanted to spend more time with my family.”
Having signed nine cross-strait agreements and one consensus within a year, “I feel that I’ve accomplished my mission for the time being,” he said.
Chiang dismissed speculation that his resignation was linked to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Po-hsiung (吳伯雄) allegedly planning to take over the position so that Ma could then become KMT chairman.
“When I told Wu yesterday, he repeatedly asked me to stay and said he would work with me for the benefit of our country and party,” Chiang said.
Ma, meanwhile, said he had received Chiang’s resignation and rejected it.
Ma said he called Chiang yesterday morning and asked him to reconsider, but that he had yet to return Chiang’s letter of resignation.
“I told him to be more resistant to the pressure. He told me he could take the pressure, but could not bear to see his family suffer,” Ma said in an interview with ETTV to be aired tomorrow. “He also told me that his health wasn’t so good, but I told him he looked great.”
Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said Chiang tendered his resignation on Monday when he visited Ma at the Presidential Office. Ma rejected the resignation on the spot and instructed government agencies to make an all-out effort to keep Chiang, Wang said.
Ma said in the ETTV interview that he told Chiang on Monday that although many people were unhappy with Chiang, many people criticized the president, too.
Ma said that if he let the criticism upset him to the point of wanting to quit, he would not be able to get anything done.
Ma acknowledged Chiang’s contributions and those of the Cabinet, saying it was apparent to all. Ma said he told Chiang that his job was important and would only grow in significance.
In response to the speculation surrounding the party chairmanship, Ma said the public would know next month.
Wang said Ma knew Chiang was not like the media portrayed him. The media have questioned Chiang based on his family’s business ties in China, compelling Chiang to resign from a joint venture and a foundation to avoid any conflict of interest, he said.
Wang also cast doubt on reports that Ma had expressed anger over the Chinese business ties of some KMT members during a high-level meeting at the Presidential Office.
Wang said Ma was unlikely to talk about any specific people at such meetings, but it was possible that Ma had exchanged opinions with meeting participants about media reports.
KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) said yesterday that the party would give Chiang its full support and try to dissuade him from stepping down.
“Chiang has gone through a lot lately and I understand how he feels. I’ve also had people spreading rumors about me,” Wu said at the KMT headquarters.
Wu dismissed allegations that he was likely to take over as SEF chairman and said the KMT’s central standing committee wanted Chiang to stay on.
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