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Wang Jin-pyng throws his weight behind Lien, Soong

Praising KMT Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) experience in government, the legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) on Saturday called for a Lien-Soong ticket for the 2004 presidential election, according to a Chinese-language newspaper.

The KMT vice chairman said that KMT-PFP cooperation is the common wish of both parties' grassroots members leaving no choice but to have Lien and PFP Chairman James Soong lead the fight against the DPP and bring a better life to the people of Taiwan.

Wang reportedly made the remark on Saturday morning in a speech given in Hualien.

In the speech, Wang said that three years of DPP power have left Taiwan in a sorry state, adding that the government has tried to blame everyone but itself.

In the afternoon, Wang went back to his constituency in Kaohsiung to receive Lien, who visited the county to meet more than 100 KMT grassroots politicians.

In a meeting with Lien, Wang reportedly urged him to announce his bid for the 2004 presidential election and secure the Lien-Soong ticket as soon as possible.

"Taiwan has a saying that `you'll never know how good the old one was, before you have experienced the new one,'" said Wang, referring to the power transfer in the 2000 presidential election.

Lien also took the opportunity to blast the DPP for the nation's declining economy. Freedom House, an international human right monitoring organization, also downgraded Taiwan's "political right" from the highest level in its 2002 global human right report.

Wang's remark is seen as a gesture to downplay possible competition from the party's younger heavyweights, who are seen as potential competitors for the 2004 presidential-election candidacy.

Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), the 52-year-old KMT star, has been urged to run for the 2004 presidential election by many pan-blue voters after he won a landslide victory in the Dec. 7 mayoral election in Taipei.

In addition, Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), a 55-year-old KMT lawmaker, and the 61-year-old KMT legislator John Chang (章孝嚴), have shown an interest in running for the next presidential election.

Wang's unusually harsh remark is also interpreted as drawing a line between him and the pan-green camp.

Endorsed by Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), former KMT chairman and mentor to the TSU, Wang was elected as the legislative speaker early this year with the highest vote ever, thanks to the pan-green camp's support.

Wang was a long-time follower of Lee, but speculation suggested his relation with Lee and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) turned sour after Wang was accused of not helping Hung Chi-chang (洪奇昌), in the vice speaker's election earlier this year.
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