Elections 2002: Two competitors, two visions of Taipei - Lee

Lee says being positive and advantage over Ma

Liberty Times: What's your opinion on the current situation regarding the year-end Taipei mayoral election and what are your campaign strategies for the final phase of the campaign? How do you evaluate your advantages and those of incumbent Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九)?

Lee Ying-yuan (李應元): My support ratings have stably risen according to the last three opinion polls conducted by the DPP. Although the increase has been slim, it grows clearly and steadily as we predicted. The overall campaign arrangement started in an easy manner last month and will reach a climax this month. Generally speaking, our election campaign is progressing at an expected pace now. I'm very optimistic about winning the election.

My advantages are different from those of Ma. I have portrayed a different vision for Taipei City. For example, I advocate building a "Taipei Sports Dome" to bring more business opportunities and vitality to the city. But Ma never seems to talk about such ideas.

When Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was mayor, he greatly improved Taipei's traffic conditions by building dedicated bus lanes and the Mass Rapid Transportation (MRT) system. But I've seen no progress during Ma's four-year mayoral term. In former US president Ronald Reagan's words: "Are you better off?" Has any impressive construction been completed in Taipei City over the past four years? I think not.

LT: Chen and former President Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) support for your bid is viewed as a key factor in the election. How will you use this trump card?

Lee: Indeed, I'm backed by both the incumbent and former president. Basically, I respect their timing for campaigning for me and highly appreciate their help. Lee's campaigning for me may have come slightly later than Chen's. As for how many times he will stump for me, the former president's health must be taken into consideration.

LT: The strategy of a joint campaign for the DPP's mayoral and city councilor candidates is obvious. How do you evaluate the effectiveness of such a joint campaign? How do you interact with the TSU's city councilor candidates?

Lee: The DPP's mayoral and city councilor candidates certainly complement one another. But a mayoral candidate has a basic campaign advantage. For instance, on Oct. 18, my supporters will hold a 1,500-table fund-raising banquet, which will probably be the biggest fund-raising banquet in Taipei City's history. City councilor candidates can hardly call on supporters to hold such a rally. Therefore, the joint campaign is a big help for the DPP's city councilor candidates.

In terms of my interaction with the TSU, many TSU members are my personal friends. All of the TSU's city councilor candidates attend my campaign rallies. I always campaign for them and all of the TSU's legislators are also actively helping me.

LT: You're advocating a "high-class" campaign. What is your view on the issues that may come up during the final stage of the campaign, such as ethnicity and provincial residency?

Lee: When I say that I advocate a "high-class" campaign, I mean that an election is an examination of candidates. From the very beginning, we should therefore insist on not digging into personal problems. We should respect the privacy of children and family not connected to the election.