Sun, May 15, 2005 page3

• Pan-green camp celebrates poll result

  POWER TO THE PEOPLE Both the DPP and TSU hailed the outcome of yesterday's election as proof that the people of Taiwan believe the country's fate is in their hands

  • By Jewel Huang / STAFF REPORTER
  • • 
    • 
    • 

  In their jubilant post-election speeches, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) both said that the election's outcome marked a victory for the people of Taiwan and a triumph for the nation's democracy and the local powerbase identifying with Taiwan.

  DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday attributed the victory to President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) leadership, through which he successfully consolidated his supporters' confidence in the last few days before the election, and said that Chen pointed out that "second-phase constitutional reforms" will unfold as soon as the new National Assembly finalizes the constitutional amendments.

  "President Chen wanted me to tell all citizens that we [the government] will create a new constitution that is suitable to Taiwan in 2008 with an all-out effort," Su said, adding that Chen appreciated everyone's efforts in this election and salutes the support of the "great Taiwanese people."

  "It is the victory of democracy, the victory of reform and Taiwan's victory," Chen said, according to Presidential Office Secretary-General Yu Shyi-kun yesterday evening.

  Chen also called on the Legislative Yuan to pass the law governing the National Assembly's exercise of power as soon as possible to enable the constitutional amendments to be passed smoothly, Yu said.

  With campaign themes such as "approving constitutional reforms" and "opposing the opposition parties' inclination to China," the DPP successfully motivated its supporters to vote and won about 42.5 percent of votes cast. According to this result, the DPP obtained 127 seats and became the largest party in the National Assembly.

  Su said that the DPP's victory demonstrated that the party's insistences and core values won people's hearts and proved that a party that sticks to its campaign promises will win in the end.

  "The election outcome reflects a proverb: When the rain is over, the sky clears up," said senior presidential adviser Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), who is listed first among the nominations and will become speaker of the National Assembly, given that the DPP won the majority in this election.

  "I am so pleased to see that the people of Taiwan showed their wisdom to defend Taiwan's democracy and consolidate Taiwan consciousness with their votes," Yeh said.

  "The result once again proves that Taiwan is a nation that enjoys independent sovereignty and the people of Taiwan believe in the DPP -- the only party that sticks to reforms," she said.

  Yeh said that the local power winning the majority of seats in the National Assembly is something that she was thankful to see.

  Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said that Taiwan has passed every trial imposed by the Chinese Communist Party whenever there was an election locally. This election also proved that the nation identified with the president's political line -- in which he maintains that "the Republic of China is an independent sovereign nation; that Taiwan belongs to the 23 million Taiwanese people; and that any change of the status quo requires the consent of the people of Taiwan."

  "I believe that, at this moment, Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), 1.3 billion Chinese people and the whole world finally heard the voice of the people of Taiwan, that Taiwan belongs to the 23 million Taiwanese people," Lu said.

  DPP Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) said that the result proved that "Taiwan wins and China loses."

  "Although Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) trips to China blurred the lines of the National Assembly elections, the people of Taiwan did not become giddy with Chinese fever," Lee said.

  "The DPP surpassed the KMT and the TSU outshined the PFP. It is a big triumph for Taiwan's local power" Lee said, smiling.

  In the meantime, a joyful atmosphere also prevailed at the Taiwan Solidarity Union headquarters after the result was confirmed. The TSU won about 7.5 percent of votes, obtained 21 seats and became the third-largest party in the National Assembly.

  TSU Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (蘇進強) said yesterday evening that the election result proved the significance of the TSU's existence.

  "Under former president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) direction, the TSU will continue to insist on the party's platforms of making a new constitution and correcting the nation's official name as well as work for normalizing the nation's systems," Shu said.

  Although the TSU did not attain its goal of winning at least 10 percent of the votes, "We are happy and gratified with this election result," Shu said, pointing out that it was not easy for the TSU to attain this accomplishment in an election system that does not favor a smaller party.

  "However, we feel sorry that some political parties tried to discredit the TSU with the untrue accusation that it is `anti-reform,'" Shu said.

  Shu also stressed that the TSU will continue to play its role as a "genuine opposition party" and not become dependent on any party.
• Most Popular

  • 1

    China condemns Pokemon, Detective Conan for spreading ‘Japanese militarism’

  • 2

    Video shows indigenous submarine in action

  • 3

    Atletico rout Barcelona in Copa

  • 4

    Sri Lanka thrash Oman with new high score

  • 5

    Leonard’s 41 points lead Clippers over Timberwolves, Knicks cruise to victory