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Soong urges `rational' response

"If meeting [with Chen] can solve problems, then we should meet, the earlier the better. If everyone still has doubts, then it is better to meet after thinking this through."

James Soong, PFP chairman

Urging a return to "rational" problem-solving, People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong yesterday defended his decision not to attend Saturday's march, adding that he was in "no rush" to meet with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) again.

"Now that China's `Anti-Secession' Law has already been ratified and the March 19 and March 26 rallies have been held, everyone should let their emotions cool down and rationally think about solutions to our problems," Soong said yesterday.

Joining the debate over the number of people who attended the March 26 rally, Soong hedged his bets, saying that the number was likely fewer than the 1 million participants claimed by the Democratic Progressive Party, but also greater than Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) estimate of 270,000.

The point, Soong said, is not the number of people that participated, but to realize that the common purpose of all the marches -- shared by those who did not attend -- is to express that the Taiwanese people want peace and democracy.

Many people, including himself, did not attend the rallies, Soong said, not because they opposed supporting the dignity of Taiwan or the continued pursuit of the truth behind the shooting of Chen and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), but because they are tired of taking to the streets.

Commenting on the debate as to whether the content of the controversial public letter by Chi Mei Group founder and presidential adviser Hsu Wen-long (許文龍) was written under duress from China or for self-promotion, Soong said that the controversy stirred up by the letter should be examined from another perspective.

"China was compelled to create the `Anti-Secession' Law by Taiwan, and Taiwan was compelled to hold the 326 march because of China. Similarly, we `forced' Hsu to write this letter," Soong said yesterday, adding that the "greater environment" is to blame for the contents of the letter.

A situation in which the government cannot protect the people and thus forces individuals like Hsu to speak out, said Soong, is truly a "tragedy for the Taiwanese people" and should also be a matter for self-reflection within the government.

Hsu, who has previously been associated with pro-independence factions, published a letter on Saturday in a Chinese-language newspaper saying that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belonged to "one China," and that he opposed Taiwan's independence movement.

Soong also talked about a rumored second meeting with Chen.

"If meeting [with Chen] can solve problems, then we should meet, the earlier the better. If everyone still has doubts, then it is better to meet after thinking this through. So I am in no rush and I am not pushing for this," Soong said.

To facilitate cross-party cooperation, Soong met with Chen earlier this year. Since that meeting on Feb. 24, it has been rumored that a second Chen-Soong summit is in the works. However, Soong's attitude yesterday appeared to belie the supposed friendly relations between the PFP and the administation since the meeting.

Meanwhile, Chen is open to holding a second meeting with Soong, Presidential Office Secretary-General Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday.

Chen is willing to meet Soong for a second time if the PFP chairman agrees to the idea and the president will fully respect Soong's opinion on how, when and where the meeting should be arranged, Yu said.
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