Li Ao calls Chen `dangerous' while Hsu wants a more open cross-strait policy

New Party candidate Li Ao (李敖) and independent Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良) -- minor players in the upcoming presidential election -- both seemed to embrace China in their own way during yesterday's platform presentations.

Li focused on attacking Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) for his apparent support of DPP candidate Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).

Li called the Nobel laureate a "hypocrite" for what he called the failure to remain neutral as a scholar.

He also called Chen a "dangerous object," saying Chen's victory will lead to war with China.

Lashing out at both President Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) "state-to-state" model and "go slow, be patient" (戒急用忍) policy, Li advocated China's "one country, two systems" as the only way to avoid war.

Taiwan should "bow" and "surrender" its way out of the current confrontation and try to seek advantages at the negotiation table, Li said.

Taiwanese should "control China the way the Jews control the US," Li said.

Among other possible benefits, Taiwan might even be able to negotiate storage of its nuclear waste in China's Xinjiang Province, Li said.

He also seemed to appeal to ethnic sentiments in his speech, which included a condemnation of Taiwan's decision to vote for Sydney, Australia as hosts of the 2000 Olympics, instead of Beijing -- calling the Australians "white people" (白種人).

Hsu, meanwhile, criticized the other candidates for being good examples of "bad money politics" for attacking each other with abusive language, for spending large sums of money in campaign activities, and for offering impractical policies.

"They are all vote-buyers," Hsu said.

Hsu disagreed with Chen's proposal to increase the national budget, saying that he will cut the defense budget from its current 3 percent of the overall national budget to 1.5 percent and use the the money that remains for social welfare programs.

With sweat running down his face, Hsu spent more than 20 minutes of his 30-minute speech on his China policy. Hsu also seemed to stutter and pause to gather his thoughts at several points during the speech.

Hsu stressed the importance of the Chinese market, adding that he will open up direct links (三通) with China if elected. He would also lift Lee Teng-hui's "go slow, be patient" policy and restrictions on Chinese investments in Taiwan.