Chen reckless: opposition

Leaders of the opposition gave President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) a tongue-lashing yesterday after he called for a referendum on the nation's status.

KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) denounced Chen's cross-strait policy as inconsistent, while PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) called Chen a reckless president.

Chen said yesterday that there is "one country on either side (of the Taiwan Strait)," and that the nation should seriously consider passing referendum legislation so that a vote on Taiwan's future could be held.

Chen made the remarks via satellite video broadcast to a meeting of the pro-independence World Federation of Taiwanese Associations (世台會) in Japan yesterday.

Soong said that Chen's remarks amounted to public advocacy of the view that the relationship between Taiwan and China is "state-to-state" in nature.

He also said that Chen had broken promises he made to the nation when he was elected president.

"In his inauguration speech, he promised that he would not proclaim Taiwan independence, would not change the country's name and would not change Taiwan's status quo via a referendum. However, what he said today totally contradicts the promises he made to his countrymen."

Soong said that as president, Chen has to be careful about what he says. "What he said has caused the public to worry about the ROC's future."

Lien also criticized Chen as going back on his word.

"He is contradicting himself," Lien said.

Lien also said that Chen hasn't chartered a clear course for the country's future.

"What we should be focusing on is how to boost the economy. President Chen shouldn't just divert attention to other issues because he is unable to improve the economy. [Doing so] would result in a disaster," he said.

Others joined the chorus of criticism.

"The DPP initially denied it was on a route toward independence, but now it's standing up for the special state-to-state discourse and it's advocating a referendum, which shows the party does not have stable and consistent policies," said KMT legislative leader Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教).

"The KMT believes that referendums should be limited to major bills that concern the people's livelihood."

PFP legislative leader Shen Chih-hwei (沈智慧) said Chen "publicly violates the Constitution by advocating independence and special state-to-state discourse."

She stressed that the PFP would be against Taiwan independence "until death," and that it would block any bill regarding a referendum.

She rebuked Chen for taking "a gamble, motivated by his personal emotions, which could endanger the public's well-being."