The DPP's presidential campaign yesterday received an affirmative endorsement from political parties in several neighboring countries, as an Asian coalition of liberal parties passed a resolution throwing support behind the party's campaign.
The resolution came during a meeting of the Joint Conference of Liberal International -- an international coalition of liberal democratic parties-and the Council of Asian Liberal Democrats in which Taiwan's DPP, a member of the group, was the organizer of this year's executive committee meeting.
In their resolution, the Council congratulated the party for waging its presidential campaign in the true liberal spirit of fair play and transparency, oriented toward issues and concrete party platforms. The Council also recognized the DPP's role in the evolution of Taiwan's democracy.
"As a founding member of the Council and an observer in Liberal International, the DPP is the best vehicle for realizing political democracy [in Taiwan]," said Florencio Abad, a Philippine congressman and a Council representative.
Abad said most Asian countries have experienced a phase of authoritarian rule or dictatorship in their political development, adding that Taiwan's liberal democratic party should be elected to power.
According to Abad, a good example of such a democratic process concerns Thailand's Liberal Party, which currently rules that country. He said that he wished Taiwan's DPP could be the second such model in Asia.
The Council's resolution also criticized Taiwan's current presidential race, saying it was sad that both KMT and independent candidates have been marred by various forms of mudslinging.
The Council is assured that the DPP has conducted its campaign by concentrating on relevant key issues that affected Taiwan and its people, it said.
Echoing the Council, Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck, chairperson of Liberal International, said she hoped the people of Taiwan would make the right decision in March.
Both DPP chairman Lin I-hsiung (
Lin said the party was prepared to establish a clean, efficient and transparent government for the new century as the basis of winning approval from the people of Taiwan.
"We have confidence in realizing the rotation of political power," Lin said.
Annette Lu said her party will put an end to governments run solely by men. The victory of the DPP will usher in a new era of gender equality, in which women and men manage Taiwan's national affairs together, she said.
Liberal International is a political party coalition that advocates the values and principles of liberal democracy. It now comprises 55 full members and 26 observers, of which the DPP has been one of the latter, joining in 1994.
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