New book sheds light on Soong and Lee's interaction

Former President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) might have wanted to promote People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) to an important position, but Soong "betrayed" Lee after he failed to secure the premiership, according to a new book by former Deputy Legislative Speaker Yao Eng-chi (饒穎奇).

Yao, also a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) deputy secretary-general, yesterday released his new book The Hand Pushing Policies Through: The Days I Struggled in the Legislative Yuan.

At one point, Yao writes, some top officials asked Lee to summon Soong and discuss a possible ticket, Yao wrote, but Lee reacted angrily to that request.

According to Yao, Lee said, "What would I summon him to talk about? Do you know what he wants? Let me tell you, he wants to become the premier. Can we allow him to become the premier? Even if he gets in line he would not get the position! Seniority has to be considered when it comes to politics!"

Yao writes that he once asked Lee why he didn't teach his experiences to Lien Chan (連戰), Lee answered with a laugh, "I have taught it all to Soong."

When Yao panicked and said that Lee taught his experiences to the wrong person, Lee then told Yao to relax and said, "I still have many other tricks up my sleeve."

"We can judge from here that Lee Teng-hui originally wanted to promote James Soong. He did not abandon Soong, but Soong betrayed him," Yao writes.