Blue camp reacts to probable Lien-Soong ticket

The long-anticipated meeting between KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) will be held today, after which it is widely believed that a decision on the pan-blue alliance's joint campaign for next year's presidential election will be announced.

A Lien-Soong ticket is gradually taking shape following Soong's declaration on Wednesday that the two parties' vow to cooperate has become official policy, and his announcement that he would respect his KMT counterpart's decision on who should be the one to run for the presidency.

In the 2000 presidential election, Soong joined the race against the KMT's will, which prompted the KMT to expel him from the party. Soong's participation in the campaign split the KMT's votes, which led the party to lose its five-decade grip in power.

Both parties yesterday took immediate action to welcome the cooperative effort. The KMT reciprocated the PFP's goodwill by connecting the two parties' Web sites. Internet users surfing the KMT Web site will automatically be linked to the PFP's site.

After Soong's speech which had confirmed the cooperation, KMT spokesman Justin Chou (周守訓) said his party wasted no time to return the PFP's conciliatory gesture by connecting the two parties' Web sites.

Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) also welcomed the pan-blue collaboration, calling it "a good start."

Initially believed to be the strongest contestant in next year's presidential race following his overwhelming victory in the mayoral election, Ma said, "Cooperation is a necessity, but not a guarantee of success; the key to success is to present policies that are in the interests of the people."

He urged both parties not to underestimate the upcoming challenges, saying the course of the cooperation will be a long journey.

The PFP camp has received mixed responses.

The PFP's headquarters has received many phone calls from supporters who are against the idea that Soong play second fiddle in the race. Yet PFP legislators threw their support behind the proposal.

PFP Legislator Chao Liang-yen (趙良燕) called upon party colleagues to support the scheme, saying that the Lien-Soong ticket will be the only remedy for Taiwan's hardships.

But to enable the cooperation to proceed smoothly, Chao asked Lien to silence opposition from KMT members who are considered to be the followers of former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).

These KMT pro-localization lawmakers, she said, harbored ill intentions and wished to spoil the plan.

PFP Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅) lauded Soong as a broad-minded politician who has set a good example in politics.

He said his party colleagues will respect Soong's decision, but he also felt Soong has sacrificed too much for the sake of the country.