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DPP whip says Lien falling prey to Beijing's schemes

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) will risk falling prey to Beijing's "united front" scheme if he refuses to talk with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and visits China as planned, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus whip warned yesterday.

Lai Ching-teh (賴清德) said that if Lien goes to China without prior consultations with Chen on cross-strait issues, he will risk compromising the nation's sovereignty, while "stealing" the administration's authority.

Lai claimed that if he makes the trip, Lien will be poised to confer upon himself the title of "chief executive of the Taiwan special administration region" under China.

Lai said that as of yesterday, the KMT had not responded favorably Chen, who said a day earlier that he is willing to support Lien's planned visit to China but that he and Lien should meet first.

Chen made the remarks at CKS International Airport upon his return from a historic trip to the Vatican to attend Pope John Paul II's funeral. Chen's trip marked the first ever visit to Europe by a serving president.

The KMT leadership only reportedly said that a meeting with Chen prior to Lien's China visit would "put a millstone round Lien's neck" and that Lien has decided to make the trip as planned.

Answering his own questions, Lai said Beijing extended an invitation to Lien and promised Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) will meet him in person because the KMT has "a united front value" to Beijing.

He described the entire KMT as "seeming to be on the verge of total derangement" recently, with Lien obstinately determined to go to China while two other vice chairmen -- Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who he said have both been "kidnapped" by Lien's obstinacy -- dare not spell out their platforms on cross-strait issues in the campaign for the election of the KMT chairmanship.

Lai said Lien's insistence on visiting China not only defies the opposition of the Taiwanese people, but also makes the rest of the world wonder whether there is both a president and a "Taiwan chief executive under Beijing."
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