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DPP needs to forge better ties with both US political parties, says functionary

Chung Chia-ping (鍾佳濱), deputy secretary-general of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), urged the DPP to improve its ties with both the US Democrats and the Republicans.

Chung made the remarks at a news conference in San Francisco after arriving from Boston where he attended the Democratic National Convention.

Chung said that regardless of who wins the next US presidential election in November, Washington's ties with Taiwan won't change in the foreseeable future.

The priority of the DPP for the time being is to establish a new relationship with both the Republicans and the Democrats in addition to strengthening the friendship between the governments, Chung said.

Taiwan enjoys quite a good relationship with the administration of US President George W. Bush and hopes the friendship will be maintained, Chung continued.

Traditionally, Chung said, the Chinese Nationalist Party had a closer friendship with the US Republican Party during its five decades of rule in Taiwan. On the other hand, the DPP has a lot of common ground with the Democratic Party because of the DPP's concern with human rights and democracy.

As the DPP is now the ruling party, it needs to adjust its approach to the two US political parties accordingly, Chung said.

In order to match its new political status as the ruling party in Taiwan, Chung said, the DPP should expand its communications with the Democrats from issues concerning human rights and democracy to issues of defense and regional peace.

Besides, the DPP should improve its ties with the Republicans which control the White House, Chung said.

Chung is currently in the US as a member of an ROC delegation made up of members of Taiwan's four main political parties.

Speaking about the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Chung said it is difficult to determine what the party's policy toward Taiwan is, given that the focus was on domestic issues and the campaign against terrorism.
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