DPP gives up Keelung race for TSU

In a bid to facilitate unity in the pan-green camp for the year-end elections of local government chiefs, the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) nominee for the Keelung mayoral election, Wang Tuoh (王拓), yesterday withdrew from the race and said he would support the Taiwan Solidarity Union's (TSU) nominee Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘).

"Seeing that the pan-green camp's disunity in Keelung City has decreased the chances of Keelung City's progress and reform, and in order not to let Keelung residents down, I have decided to drop out of the year-end election and let pan-green supporters have an easier selection," Wang said.

"From now, my campaign activities in Keelung will stop and hopefully voters will shift their support to Chen," Wang said.

Accompanied by DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and TSU Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (蘇進強), who returned from a trip to Central America with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Sunday, Wang and Chen Chien-ming last night attended a press conference at the DPP's headquarters.

The DPP and the TSU have for months quarreled and traded barbs over the candidacy for Keelung mayoral election.

The TSU asked the DPP not to nominate a candidate in the city, while the DPP insisted on nominating Wang to counter Chen Chien-ming.

Shu yesterday said that Wang's withdrawal from the election was an important beginning for the DPP and the TSU and he believed it could be a cornerstone for continued cooperation.

"During our visit to Central America, President Chen told us that the progress of Taiwan's democracy relies on Taiwan's unity," Shu said. "Chairman Su and I totally agreed with the president's words and decided to work on this goal."

Su echoed the TSU leader's opinion, saying that unity is the only way for the pan-green camp to have a sustainable existence.

Shu added that Liu Yi-teh (劉一德), director of the TSU's organization department who is running in the Chiayi mayoral race, might withdraw in response to the DPP's sincerity.

Meanwhile, in the pan-blue camp, Taitung County Council Speaker Wu Chun-li (吳俊立) yesterday announced that he would not accept the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) recommendation to be its candidate and will instead campaign for county commissionership as an independent.

Wu said his decision was intended to protect the KMT's opponents from attacking the party over reform.

Wu was found guilty of violating the Statute for the Punishment of Corruption (貪污治罪條例) by offering inappropriate subsidies for small local construction firms. The case has been appealed to the Taiwan High Court.