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Lee attacks conference results, reliance on China

Former president Lee Teng-hui criticizes the results of the Conference on Sustaining Taiwan's Economic Development during a lecture yesterday at the Lee Teng-hui School. Lee said Taiwan must not become economically dependent on China. PHOTO: LIU HSIN-DE, TAIPEI TIMES

Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday lashed out at the results of the Conference on Sustaining Taiwan's Economic Development, saying the government had been "kidnapped" by the private sector and forced into agreeing to loosen restrictions on cross-strait economic ties.

"Any economic policy that abandons the consciousness of national identity is the wrong cure," Lee said yesterday in a lecture at the Lee Teng-hui School, a political academy he founded three years ago. "I never held a conference that catered so strongly to business interests in the 12 years that I was president."

The two-day Cabinet-sponsored conference failed to reach conclusions about cross-strait economic relations.

However, several issues including pushing for further direct cross-strait air transport links, lifting the ban on Taiwanese banks setting up subsidiaries in China, expediting the implementation of regular cross-strait air and sea cargo links and asking the Chinese government to recognize Taiwanese professional licenses, were listed as "other opinions."

"Other opinions" are intended to serve as advice for the government, but they have no binding effect on the Cabinet.

Upset by the Cabinet's tilt toward further easing restrictions on investment on China, Lee said the conference should discuss the country's overall direction, rather than pushing issues that failed to achieve consensus.

"Issues such as national security and sovereignty are the main concerns [that should guide] cross-strait economic policies. Promoting opinions that are not based on consensus is dangerous," he said.

Lee criticized President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), saying Chen had made Taiwan's economic performance lag behind the three other "Asian dragons" -- Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea -- with his "active opening, effective management" cross-strait policy.

"Chen did not stress the importance of `effective management' until recently, but it's too late ... He only talked about it, he didn't act," Lee said.

He said Taiwan should not be too economically dependent on China because "globalization doesn't equal Sinicization."

The government, Lee said, should not just take care of big business while ignoring the voice of small business and blue-collar workers. Financial ups and downs and the proposed hike of national health insurance premiums would not improve the economy but widen the gap between rich and poor, he said.

He reminded the government that it should help the country to find its future path prior to 2008, which he called a "crucial time for political transformation in Taiwan."

"If [the government] doesn't grasp the opportunity and help Taiwan find its own path, it's hard to say what will happen to Taiwan," Lee said.
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