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KMT denies slap on the wrist

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chinese Affairs Department director Chang Jung-kung smiles as he tells reporters yesterday that the KMT has never considered Taiwanese independence an option, but that the party respects people who do. PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) advertisement that sparked controversy at home has generated concern across the Taiwan Strait as the KMT yesterday confirmed that Chinese officials had called the party on Wednesday to inquire about the situation.

"Chinese officials expressed their concern and wanted to know what was going on [with the ad], but they did not express any discontent. They were just puzzled by the media interpretations of the ad," KMT Chinese Affairs Department Director Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭) said yesterday, adding that any doubt was clarified "within seconds."

Chang made the remarks yesterday in response to a report in the Chinese-language newspaper, the China Times, which claimed that Chinese authorities rang up the KMT to express their "strong discontent" with the party for listing independence as an option for Taiwan's future in the ad.

China also reportedly chastised the KMT for changing its cross-strait stance, and warned that such a policy shift may violate the "five-point" consensus for cross-strait peace reached when former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) met with Chinese president Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) last year. The Chinese then demanded the party to explain the motivation behind the ad, the report said.

The KMT published a print ad entitled "Taiwan's Pragmatic Path" on the cover of the Chinese-language Liberty Times, the Taipei Times' sister newspaper, on Tuesday.

The ad stressed the importance of maintaining the "status quo" in cross-strait relations, listing the other choices for the country's future as unification or independence. The listing of "independence" as an option in the ad was interpreted by many to mean that the KMT now considers "independence" as one of the possibilities for Taiwan's future path.

Since the ad appeared, the KMT has scrambled to define its position, saying that while independence may be one of the many choices available for the country, that option does not tally with the KMT's policies and stance, which is for the country to maintain the status quo.

Chang yesterday declined to confirm the identity of the Chinese government official.

"The KMT's political position is very clear, and the Chinese official was able to understand our policy after a brief explanation," he said. "The person who contacted me was someone from the Taiwan Affairs Office, a representative who understands both the KMT and Taiwan's situation very well."

Chang said that the representative had also applauded KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) speech in London as "high-level" and "impressive."

"China understands the KMT's political position very well, and it absolutely did not express `strong discontent' with us," he added.

Although denying that China had called to express concern over a potential KMT policy shift, Ma has been eager to clarify whether or not there had been a major shift in the party's cross-strait policy and immediately dispatched the KMT Spokeswoman Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文) home from his European trip.

Cheng met with the media yesterday morning at KMT headquarters and defended the party's motive in publishing the ad.

"The motive was quite simple. It was to help readers of the Liberty Times understand Chairman Ma's recent remarks. [The ad] was not a declaration of any major KMT cross-strait policy shift," she said.

"Communications between the KMT and China functions smoothly in order to prevent any misunderstandings. Director Chang communicates with them regularly, so the other side knows the KMT's policies very well," she added.

Meanwhile, Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) legislators yesterday accused the KMT of being the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) subordinate.

Commenting on the report, TSU caucus whip David Huang (黃適卓) said the event showed that the behavior of the KMT is controlled by the CCP.

"I say that the KMT has become the CCP's subordinate, which is a serious problem that KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou ought to be aware of," Huang said.

"China's continuous interference in Taiwan's internal affairs and even the KMT's internal affairs was the consequence of the Lien-Hu meeting," he added.

People First Party (PFP) caucus whip Hwang Yih-jiau (黃義交) yesterday said that Ma's explanation was acceptable as it showed the KMT still takes a stance against independence.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Yu Shyi-kun yesterday said Ma's recent fickle remarks on cross-strait relations exposed his confusion and uncertainty on the issue.

"I urge Ma to carefully consider his cross-strait stance and not to be so easily affected by a phone call from the Chinese Communist Party," Yu said.

Additional reporting by Jewel Huang
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