Soong to explore `pan-blue' unity in mayoral elections

PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) said yesterday that he expects to meet KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) next week to discuss plans to cooperate in the year-end Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections.

Soong said the "pan-blue" camp should be pragmatic and jointly nominate candidates who stand a good chance of winning, adding that the PFP would not join the race just to make itself seen.

"If the KMT and PFP refuse to compromise and insist on fighting each other, neither party will win," Soong said.

Soong said the DPP has been unable to decide on its candidate for Taipei mayor mainly because the PFP has not shown its cards.

The DPP will stand little chance of defeating the KMT incumbent, Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), if the PFP does not join the Taipei mayoral race and throws its support behind Ma, according to Soong.

Though the PFP has some outstanding politicians in Taipei who could run for the mayoralty, they have not expressed their intention to run so far out of respect for the KMT, Soong said.

The PFP chairman's comments were apparently made in response to Lien's remark on Thursday that the KMT would nominate its own candidate for Kaohsiung mayor.

The KMT has shown a strong desire to have its own candidate run in Kaohsiung, though some expected the KMT to support a PFP candidate in Kaohsiung in exchange for the PFP's support for Ma in Taipei.

The PFP has favored its vice chairman, Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄), for Kaohsiung mayor, but Chang has shown no interest in running.

The party has not given up its efforts to persuade Chang to join the race.

Possible KMT candidates for the Kaohsiung race include Huang Jun-ying (黃俊英), president of I-Shou University and former deputy Kaohsiung mayor, and Huang Chi-chuan (黃啟川), the speaker for Kaohsiung City Council.

Soong said the two parties should jointly pick a candidate who has the best chance of winning.

"If the KMT insists on having its own people run for the race and refuses to negotiate with the PFP, both will suffer losses," Soong warned.

Meanwhile, Soong accused the DPP government of suffering from "schizophrenia," saying President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his staff are always opposing each other.

Soong said the DPP is losing support in many localities as people are disappointed with the party's performance.