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Lawmakers divided by Kao's participation

TSU Legislator Chen Chien-ming -- along with other TSU lawmakers -- holds a press conference yesterday to condemn PFP Legislator Kao Ming-chien's participation in a WHO meeting upon Beijing's recommendation. PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMESN

A DPP lawmaker has warned his PFP counterpart not to be used by China and become a patsy for Beijing's unification propaganda.

The presence of PFP Legislator Kao Ming-chien (高明見) at the WHO forum on Beijing's recommendation has seriously impaired Taiwan's efforts to fight against the "one country, two systems" model Beijing wishes to impose, DPP Legislator Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said.

Chen said it was regrettable that Kao had accepted the invitation, which had made the opposition lawmaker look like a perfect example of the "one country, two systems" model at work.

Chen further suggested that Kao's behavior might be the personification of an idea unveiled by PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) earlier this month that Taiwan would attain its goal of joining in the UN health agency under the "one-China" framework.

"PFP Chairman James Soong recently promised that he would enable Taiwan to attain WHO membership under a `one-China' framework within two years if he and KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) won the 2004 presidential election," Chen said.

"I wonder if Kao's attendance at the global conference was exactly an example of what was proposed," by Soong Chen said.

Earlier yesterday, the TSU legislative caucus demanded that Soong demonstrate his resolve to punish what they saw as improper action. The TSU argued that Kao should be disciplined for his deeds that had betrayed Taiwan.

"Regardless of whether Kao deliberately attended the conference at the behest of China, his presence at the event resulted in the selling out of Taiwan. His actions ruined a US plan to lobby for Taiwan's observer status at the forum," claimed TSU Legislator Su Yin-kuei (蘇盈貴).

Fellow lawmaker Liao Pen-yen (廖本煙) argued that Soong should revoke Kao's legislative power since Kao's misconduct had furthered Beijing's goal of subjugating Taiwan.

In response to the charges, pan-blue lawmakers voiced their support for Kao and said that Kao should be given a chance to explain his side of the story after he returns from Malaysia.

Kao's colleague, PFP Legislative Deputy Convener Chiu Yi (邱毅), insisted that "Kao possessed a WHO invitation identical to those the UN body sent to four experts representing Taiwan at the conference."
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