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Conference strengthened Su's position: observers

Last week's Conference on Sustaining Taiwan's Economic Development has given Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) a boost of confidence in consolidating his authority as premier, political observers said.

The last day of the conference on Friday was also Su's birthday, and Su was all smiles as he accepted birthday greetings from conference participants.

"His smile seemed to reflect his feeling that his position in the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] is strongly anchored, that his premiership is assured and that he can carry out his policies as premier without any obstacles from inside or outside the DPP," a pan-green heavyweight and conference participant told the Taipei Times.

The commentator, who did not wish to be identified by name, said that since taking his oath of office in January, Su has been regarded by some as the most likely candidate to succeed President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) as the DPP's most powerful figure, putting him ahead of other party bigwigs such as former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮).

Before Chen announced last month that he would hand over some of his powers to party leaders and Su and focus solely on his job as president, Su was criticized for merely enforcing and carrying out the president's wishes.

"To become a real man with power in the DPP, [Su] needs to create his own `style' instead of simply following in Chen's or former president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) footsteps," the commentator added.

As expected, local business groups suggested at the conference that the government should ease restrictions on cross-strait investment and exchanges, while pro-independence groups -- particularly the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) -- strongly opposed those moves. In the end, the controversial proposals were listed as "other opinions" coming out of the conference, rather than "consensus" items.

Unlike the "consensus" items, which the Cabinet is bound to implement within the next few months, the "other opinions" are intended merely as advice for the government in making policy, but are not binding.

Soochow University political science professor Emile Sheng (盛治仁) described Su as a winner after the conference.

"It is not difficult to see that [Su] was welcomed by local business groups, which is critical for anybody who is planning to run in the 2008 presidential election," Sheng said.

However, TSU members' walkout from the conference on Friday -- after they failed to block the proposed relaxation on cross-strait investment from being listed as an "other opinion" -- was a minor setback for Su.

The TSU had hoped to completely strike the proposal from the list of conference conclusions.

TSU caucus whip David Huang (黃適卓) said he was disappointed with Su's approach.

"It is obvious that [Su] tried to please local business groups and trade unions because he is aiming for the 2008 presidential election," Huang said.
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