The Dec. 3 elections to elect local government chiefs are actually part of a defensive war that concerns national security, because the pan-blue camp is collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and using all means to undermine the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said yesterday.
Lu made the remarks yesterday evening at a large campaign rally held in Taichung City to boost the campaign momentum of the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) mayoral candidate Lin Chia-lung's (林佳龍). About 2,000 supporters attended the rally, which was also attended by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Premier Frank Hsieh, Legislator Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Vice Interior Minister Chang Wen-ying (張溫鷹).
"The Chinese armed forces have comprehensively targeted Taiwan and it is investing around US$30 billion annually in strengthening its military forces," Lu said, citing a military report that was released by the US Department of Defense in July. "However, because of the pan-blue camp's boycott, Taiwan now only has an annual national defense budget of US$9.3 billion and the military balance between Taiwan and China has already began to tip well in China's favor."
Lu said that the election outcome will significantly influence whether the pan-blue camp can continue to collaborate with the CCP to undermine Taiwan's political situation and she urged voters to stop the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People First Party's (PFP) attempts to sell out Taiwan.
"The KMT and the PFP plan to pass a `cross-strait peace advancement bill' (
Meanwhile, President Chen pledged to support the investigation of the 1993 murder of navy Captain Yin Ching-feng (尹清楓) through to the end -- and asked why KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had blocked the investigation of the Lafayette kickback scandal before the election.
Chen said the Lafayette scandal is the biggest corruption case of the former KMT administration and he was surprised that Ma would oppose prosecutors opening the materials received from Swiss courts.
"I want to ask Ma what on earth he is afraid of?" Chen said. "Is he afraid that the truth of that scandal will shake the KMT's foundation?"
Chen urged Ma not to connive with KMT lawmakers to block the Lafayette materials from being unveiled. He said justice cannot take a vacation.
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