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Chen to be Hsieh's `super campaigner'

The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) will have President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) as his "super campaigner," an official at the Presidential Office said.

Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said on Monday that Chen and Hsieh would form the nucleus of Hsieh's campaign headquarters.

He said Hsieh, who had beaten three other contenders -- outgoing Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun -- in the May 6 party member vote of the primary, has pushed for party solidarity over the past week in view of a possible rift within the party because of the bitterly fought primary.

Hsieh visited Lu and Yu on Monday, hoping to forge a"new concept" for his election in March next year, Cho said.

He added that the DPP's campaign strategy in the 2004 election had been successful, with Chen serving concurrently as party chairman and presidential candidate while the party's and Chen's campaign offices merged.

Hsieh's campaign headquarters will also be merged with the party's, Cho said.

Hsieh, who has been traveling around the country since the primary to listen to voters, might also travel overseas, Cho said.

"Many countries want to learn more about Hsieh's political ideals, as well as his blueprint for running the country after his victory in the primary," he said.

Hsieh hopes to let the international community gain a better understanding of Taiwan and broaden his horizons, Cho added.

He did not directly answer reports that Hsieh had asked former deputy premier Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) to join him in the election, saying only that there was "no hurry" to announce a running mate.

Key issues

DPP lawmakers close to Hsieh said yesterday that Chen and Hsieh set the tone on several key issues during their meeting on Sunday.

They said Chen and Hsieh had concurred that their mission was to keep the DPP in power in next year's presidential election, and had reached consensus on three major issues: cross-strait relations, the diplomatic front and the members of the presidential campaign team.

On cross-strait relations, Hsieh has accepted Chen's suggestion that "both sides of the Taiwan Strait can engage in any kind of pragmatic opening and contact as long as they do not compromise Taiwan's sovereignty and dignity."

This indicates that the Olympic torch may be allowed to pass through Taiwan.

The government had rejected China's proposed route on the grounds that it would enter Taiwan via Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and leave for Hong Kong, instead of entering and exiting Taiwan via a country other than China.

On the diplomatic front, Hsieh is expected to visit the US and Japan at the end of next month to meet officials of the two countries.

This will allow the international community to learn more about Hsieh's ideals, the DPP lawmakers said.

Chen and Hsieh also agreed that the presidential campaign team would recruit talented individuals in an "open manner," they added.

They will recruit political appointees after they step down from their current government posts, as well as legislators who have withdrawn from the DPP's legislative primary, and even opposition legislators who have lost their party's primary.

Additional reporting by CNA
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