DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (
Wang was demoted to deputy director of the party's department of Chinese affairs. Whether he resumes his role as the head of youth development will depend on the result of an investigation into the harassment charges.
Party officials yesterday said the demotion was to allow the inquiry room to proceed. Wang is accused of sexually harassing four college interns who work in the youth development department.
"It doesn't mean that the party has ruled that Wang has violated party regulations," Hsu Jen-tu (許仁圖), the DPP's deputy secretary-general, said yesterday. "Nor does it mean that this will be the punishment if the charges prove true."
Two of the interns who have accused Wang of making unwanted sexual advances told reporters yesterday that they were angered by Wang's response to their allegations.
"We trusted him since he was the director," said one of the interns, who only identified herself as Xiao T (小T).
"But now we are very angry to see that he doesn't dare admit to what he has done," she said, adding that they also distrusted Hsu for showing the interns' complaint to Wang.
According to Xiao T, Wang offered one of her fellow interns a ride earlier this month and then touched the intern's hands after they were in his car.
Although the intern rebuffed him, saying that his conduct was "immoral," Wang leaned closer to the intern's shoulder and tried to forcibly kiss her, Xiao T alleged.
The intern turned her head to avoid him and Wang wound up kissing her hair, Xiao T said.
Another intern, who referred to herself as Xiao Jane (小珍), said that Wang had made her uncomfortable by once complimenting her on her "nice body and big breasts."
The interns yesterday asked the DPP to take disciplinary action against Wang no later than today.
In response, Wang said he was very shocked and angry to hear of the interns' "false" accusations.
He flatly denied that he had made any unwanted sexual advances, saying, "I may take legal action against them to reveal the truth" if the interns did not provide any evidence.
In addition, Hsu said yesterday that he had obtained a tape-recording of a telephone conversation between the interns and a male DPP staff member. Hsu said the tape suggested that the allegations were politically motivated.
According to Hsu, on the tape the interns demand that Wang resign and publicly apologize. "If our stories don't corroborate, I will be in terrible shape," Hsu quoted the male staff member as saying in response.
Hsu, however, refused to let reporters listen to the tape.
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