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DPP blasts KMT for siding with China on APEC meet

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus alleged yesterday that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has colluded with Beijing to prevent Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) from attending the next APEC summit as the president's envoy.

"As the KMT should have condemned and protested Beijing's opposition to President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) selection of Wang to stand in his place at APEC's informal leader's summit. We are stun-ned and sorry to hear them call for the president's resignation in exchange for Wang's trip," said DPP caucus whip William Lai (賴清德).

Lai was referring to a remark made by Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭), director of the KMT's mainland affairs department, who is currently visiting China.

Chang said that Wang would be able to go to APEC only if Chen stepped down from his post.

EXPLANATION REQUIRED

Lai said that he is very curious to know whether the KMT has struck a deal with the Chinese government. He asked that Chang and former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) offer an explanation of Chang's remark and the logic behind it.

If there has indeed been a deal struck between the KMT and the Chinese government, Lai said that KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) owes the public an explanation as to whether he has played a part in it, and whether he personally approves of the arrangement.

"I'd like to know why the KMT is willing to listen to every word Beijing says," Lai said.

"I'm very curious to know who Wang would be representing if Chen did step down. Is he going to represent Taiwan province or Taiwan special administrative region?" Lai said.

As the KMT has failed to speak against China's opposition to Wang's appointment, they, on the other hand, have forced the government to accept Beijing's terms, Lai said.

"I am calling on the public to denounce the KMT, which audaciously surrenders the country's sovereignty to China under such humiliating terms simply for the purpose of serving their own partisan interest," he said.

NO ALTERNATIVE

Meanwhile, Presidential Office Secretary-General Yu Shyi-kun yesterday told the legislature's Organic Laws and Statutes Committee that Chen is not considering any other candidate to replace Wang.

"Taiwan is not a part of China, and we don't have to listen to what Beijing says," he said. "The ruling and opposition parties should be working together to make the thing work."
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