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Soong-Wang talks in US unlikely

The People First Party (PFP) caucus yesterday dismissed speculation that Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) would meet with Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) in the US.

"It is impossible for them to meet because Soong is already in Europe," PFP caucus whip Hwang Yih-jiau (黃義交) said.

"As far as I know, the chairman does not have any plan to change his schedule," Hwang said.

Soong left for a vacation in the US in mid-May. He was due to return home in the middle of this month but now will not be back until the end of the month.

Wang left for a US holiday last Saturday. He is due back next Wednesday so that he can preside over informal plenary legislative talks scheduled for next Friday to discuss the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus' proposition to hold a special legislative session to screen six bills.

There has been speculation that Soong and Wang might meet to discuss PFP-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) interaction and the 2008 presidential election.

Hwang said he is not worried that Soong's absence from Taipei will give the media or other political parties an opportunity to sabotage the relationship between the PFP chief and other political leaders, including KMT chairman-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

Hwang said, however, that it would not be surprising if Soong and Wang do meet in the US because it is not uncommon for them to get together.

He said that the party always tells the truth and is not trying to hide a meeting between Soong and Ma.

"The reason that the two men have not met [since the KMT chairmanship election] is because their schedules have not meshed," he said.

Another PFP caucus whip, Sun Ta-chien (孫大千), said that his caucus has always pushed for cooperation and integration in the pan-blue camp, so it would not deliberately give any pan-blue member a hard time, including Ma.

Meanwhile, Ma said "it would be good thing" if Wang and Soong were to meet.

"I would be very happy to see a KMT vice chairman meet with the PFP chairman to communicate and exchange views," he said yesterday. "I also think it is a good thing that Wang has the opportunity to see Soong during their overseas trips."

Ma said that he will try to arrange a meeting with Soong when the PFP leader returns.

Commenting on future cooperation with the KMT, Hwang said that his caucus will get tougher in the future and that it will not compromise if pressured by other parties, including the KMT.

Ma said that his party will also get tougher, although it looks forward to closely cooperating with both the PFP and New Party because the pan-blue alliance cannot afford to be divided or even oppose each other.

"Cooperation is the only way to go for the pan-blue alliance," the Taipei mayor said. "We have to work together to more effectively oversee the government."
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