Chen keeps China policy

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday promised that Taiwan's cross-strait policy will not change following the DPP's victory in the legislative election. He urged Beijing to respect the Taiwanese people's choice and seize the moment to resume dialogue with Taiwan's government.

"Before the election, the Chinese authorities despised me and des-pised the new government. Now I expect them to respect the choice of the Taiwanese people," he said.

The president stressed that he was still determined to improve cross-strait relations and that he still hoped for a historic moment when the leaders of the two sides shake hands.

Chen made the remarks as he received a group of foreign aca-demics at the presidential office.

He said China should "seize this rare window of opportunity before it disappears" and allow Taiwan's democratic achievement to become a beacon for China's development toward modernization and democratization.

Chen also said the ruling DPP intended to remain low-key and humble following the election, and that it would seek reconciliation and cooperation with other political parties instead of attacking them.

"I have told DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) that the end of the election means the end of passion," Chen said, "and now is the beginning of rationality, which means the ruling party should think more, listen more and do more, but talk less."

Chen reiterated his pledge to carry out all the DPP's campaign promises. "The election result shows that the people are eager for a stable political situation in which we can carry out comprehensive reform," he said.

"And the people have given the DPP such a tremendous opportunity that the government will have no excuse if it fails in its responsibilities," the president said.

Meanwhile, reacting to news reports that the president had already decided to support the continued tenure of KMT lawmaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) as speaker of the Legislative Yuan in the new session, the secretary-general of the presidential office, Yu Shyi-kun, said the rumors were untrue.

"What concerns the president is when and how the Legislative Yuan will review the government's budget and the legislation to implement the measures proposed by the Economic Development Advisory Conference (EDAC) in August," Yu said.

He said government appointments are not the president's top priority, while the government tries to make sure that the legislature -- many of whose members are now outgoing lawmakers -- takes responsibility to review the EDAC measures.