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DPP caucus whips sued for slander, `rebellion'

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) sued three Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whips for slander and "rebellion" yesterday for accusing KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun (江丙坤) of making a secret agreement with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) last year.

"Their accusation constitutes slander and surpasses their immunity from prosecution as lawmakers," KMT Legislator Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權) told a press conference yesterday.

"They should relinquish their posts straight away if they fail to name the time and place of the so-called `secret meeting,' as well as who attended the meeting and what was talked about," he said.

Tseng admitted he was not certain whether Chiang traveled to Bangkok before last year's presidential election to meet with Chinese officials.

"Even if he did go to Bangkok, I can guarantee you that the KMT did not sign any secret contract with the CCP," he said.

Accompanied by DPP caucus whips Chao Yung-ching (趙永清) and Lai Ching-teh (賴清德), DPP caucus secretary-general Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻) said on Wednesday that he had obtained information indicating that the KMT had inked a secret agreement with high-ranking Chinese officials in Bangkok prior to last year's presidential election.

The agreement allegedly paved the way for senior KMT officials to visit China. Chen provided no other information.

But Chen provided more details yesterday, saying that his information indicated Chiang visited Bangkok between Nov. 28 and Nov. 30 in 2003.

In addition to delivering a speech to Taiwanese expatriates and attending the inauguration ceremony of a support group for KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰), Chiang met with Chinese officials at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok, Chen said.

Chen also suggested the "Anti-Secession" Law was similar to the 10-point consensus reached between Chiang and Chinese officials on Wednesday.

"I highly suspect that the KMT knew about the content of the legislation before it was passed into law," he said. "Chiang owes the public an explanation as to why the 10-point consensus has so much in common with the 10-article Anti-Secession Law.

He should also tell the public whether he traveled to Bangkok, what he talked about with Chinese officials and why he has received such good treatment from the Chinese government this time."

Calling the 10-point consensus "sugar-coated poison," Chao yesterday said that he was worried that it may have a damaging impact on Taiwan in the long run.

Chao also warned that Chiang risked breaking the law by signing an agreement with a foreign country.

Lai yesterday berated the KMT for putting partisan interests before the interest of the people of Taiwan and belittling the nation's dignity and sovereignty.

"The KMT delegation says that the talks between Chiang and Chinese officials are not party-to-party negotiations, so I'm very interested in finding out what they are," he said. "If the KMT delegation does not represent its own party, what does it represent?"

KMT caucus whip Chen Chieh (陳杰) said he would resign if the DPP caucus whips proved the allegation, and added that they should resign if they could not do so.

"I'm calling on the DPP caucus to stop spreading rumors and smearing the reputation of others who are eager to do things for the country," he said.

Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順), vice executive director of the KMT's Policy Committee, called on prosecutors to probe the matter and see whether the three DPP caucus leaders had committed "rebellion" by making the accusation.

KMT spokeswoman Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文) yesterday said it was regrettable that Chiang's trip to visit Taiwanese abroad was being maligned by the DPP.

Additional reporting by Caroline Hong
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