Lien tight-lipped about 2004 presidential race

KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) is in no hurry to talk about whether he will run for president in 2004 or the prospect of his campaigning on the same ticket as PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜).

Lien, who finished in third place with only 23.1 percent of the vote in the 2000 presidential race, has been tight-lipped about the possibility of his making a second presidential bid.

When asked Thursday about whether he would run again, Lien said it was still premature to talk about that.

Lien said the KMT would make a decision on its presidential candidate at an appropriate time via democratic means.

Still declining to disclose his personal preference, Lien yesterday reiterated that the KMT would offer the people a "crucial and meaningful" choice in the next presidential campaign.

Unlike Lien, who is in no hurry, some KMT legislators, including those from the pro-localization Generation-E Alliance, have been pressuring their chairman to take a stand soon so that the party can make early preparations for the race.

Giving them reason to worry are Soong's recent contacts with grassroots supporters, a move believed to be intended to pave the way for his next presidential bid.

A local newspaper yesterday cited unnamed sources as saying that some pro-Lien people within the KMT are planning to promote Lien as the leader of the "pan-blue" camp and prepare for his candidacy in the 2004 race.

A panel has reportedly been set up to work on projects to upgrade Lien's public image.

But KMT officials yesterday denied knowledge of such a panel.

James Chen (陳健治), director-general of the KMT's Organization and Development Committee, maintained that the party's top priority at the moment is the year-end Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections and that it is too early to discuss the issue of who will represent the party in the presidential campaign.

"The most important thing for us now is to create a climate [favorable to the KMT]," Chen said.

A KMT legislator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that some pro-Lien politicians are pushing for Lien's presidential candidacy.

The legislator reasoned that these politicians, who also hold party positions, are doing so to protect their interests.

Not optimistic about Lien's chances of winning, the legislator said that the KMT chairman has a lot of work to do if he is to join the race.

For example, he said, Lien's contact with grassroots supporters is lax compared with Soong's and President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁).

Another factor for the KMT to consider is whether cooperation with the PFP will continue into the 2004 race. The Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections will put cooperation between the two to the test.

According to PFP Legislator Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠), who approached Soong about the possibility of a Lien-Soong presidential ticket in a recent meeting, the PFP leader, like Lien, believes it is still too early to talk about this issue.

Chin quoted Soong as saying, "The most important consideration is to win, rather than who will be on the ticket."