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Evergreen tycoon motivated by self interest, critics say

Shipping tycoon Chang Yung-fa's (張榮發) criticism of government indifference toward the shipping industry was motivated by personal business consideration rather than the national interest, Taiwan Solidarity Union lawmakers said yesterday.

"Chang's complaints stem from his personal interests, not consideration of public benefits," TSU legislative leader Chien Lin Whei-jun (錢林慧君) said at a press conference.

The TSU whip came up with the opinion after Chang criticizing the government's apathy of developing marine policy and providing further aid to the shipping industry in In a speech at the China Marine College on Wednesday, Chang said the government was apathetic about he development of a maritime policy and providing aid to the shipping industry.

Chang said that the successors to the late president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) have been blind to the significance of a proper policy for the shipping sector. Instead the governments only cared about winning voter support and knew nothing about shipping.

"The ocean shipping industry, which is characterized as having the greatest degree of liberalization and internationalization in the global economy, has the least freedom in Taiwan. The government's China policy is a major reason why Evergreen ships can sail to any harbor in the world except those in China," said Chang, the founder of Evergreen.

Evergreen has invested heavily in facilities in China in expectation -- so far frustrated -- of the opening of direct links.

Chien Lin said that while Chang blasted incumbent President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) for neglecting the shipping industry, he ignored the benefits that had been showered on him in terms of preferential loans and tax breaks.

Chang's forgetfulness was motivated by his avaricious desire to exploit the China market, TSU Legislator Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) said. "Chang is incompetent to make such judgments [as to what is and is not sound policy] since he doesn't care about safeguarding Taiwan's interests, just getting profits from China."

Chen further deemed that the shipping chairman should give details about the size of the preferential loans he had received.

"After flaying the government, Chang owes an explanation to the public about how many ships of his ... were bought and registered in Taiwan," Chen said.

The tycoon's dissatisfaction toward the stalemate in the opening of direct links with China also prompted a response from Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

"This is an issue about mapping out a comprehensive marine policy. I believe that industrialists are clear about the government's progress in furthering direct links and they must be aware of what the government is doing at the moment," Tsai said.

In response to the lawmakers' backlash, EVA Airways Spokesman Nieh Kuo-wei (聶國維) said yesterday that Chang's speech sought to remind the government about the importance of marine policy-making, especially the significance of liberalizing and internationalizing ocean shipping.
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