President hints at 2004 election bid

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) indicated for the first time yesterday that he would run in the next presidential election, saying that his government would continue to rule the country beyond 2004.

"Some observers said that Communist China's current `Taiwan policy' just applies to the period before 2004. We believe that this shows that Communist China does not understand Taiwan," the president told a US delegation at the Presidential Office.

"I want to tell everybody that the incumbent government will surely keep ruling the country after 2004," Chen said.

"If Communist China considers that the current government [in Taiwan] can only serve until 2004, it would be a big mistake, just like the mistakes it made when evaluating Taiwan's situation during the presidential elections in 1996 and 2000."

Chen told his guests from the US National Committee on American Foreign Policy that he would be glad to consult with them on various cross-strait issues.

When asked to comment on China's next generation of leaders, Chen said that he was glad to see a smooth transfer of power in Beijing but that he expected little to change in China's Taiwan policy.

"I still sincerely hope that both sides of the Taiwan Strait can jointly seek permanent peace and long-term stability after the forth generation comes to power," Chen said.

Chen had a conservative outlook for the development of cross-strait ties, saying that he did not expect to see a major breakthrough in the near future.

He also said that the public should be realistic about the benefits of direct links, criticizing those who were overly optimistic about the effects direct transportation links across the Taiwan Strait would have on Taiwan.

"We hope to maintain peace and stability in cross-strait relations," Chen said. "The direct links policy is not a wonder drug to cure all of Taiwan's economic problems and Taiwan has to rely on itself."

He said that some people claimed China had time on its side, but that he believed Taiwan had the advantage.

"Without the agreement and acceptance of 23 million Taiwanese, any change in Taiwan's future or on cross-strait relations is impossible," the president said.

He stressed that the DPP had just agreed on a resolution that the government should continue to focus its efforts on rejuvenating the domestic economy and accelerating political reforms to allow the people to lead a better life.

The president also dismissed the effects of pan-blue cooperation in the next presidential election.

KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) have said they would work together to field a join candidate for the 2004 election, although they have not decided who will head the ticket.

"Politics is not as simple as mathematics, just a question of `one plus one is two' or `one plus one being larger than two,'" Chen said.