Unity critical for DPP win next year: President Chen

The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) presidential candidate stands a good chance of winning in next year's election if the party unites and promotes Taiwanese consciousness, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said in an interview with a Singaporean TV station yesterday.

"I have full confidence in Mr. Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and believe he will prevail in the end," the president said in the interview which was broadcast last night.

"However, we must not be careless, because the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is still a powerful party and former KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is a formidable opponent," Chen said.

"Of course, Beijing would hate to see the DPP remain in power," Chen said, adding that China's hope to see the KMT return to power may well be shattered because it might not happen until 2012 or never at all.

On cross-strait issues, Chen said that establishing direct transportation links with China is part of the government's policy, but the crux of the problem lies in Beijing rather than Taiwan.

"Our guiding principle is a `firm position, practical approach' and `effective management, active opening,'" he said. "We do not want to lose our economic independence because we will put the nation's sustainable development at risk if we do so."

Direct links cannot be achieved overnight, Chen said, and will not materialize if chartered cargo plane services cannot be implemented before his term expires.

Chen Taiwan welcomes the Olympic torch, but it cannot accept Beijing's attempt to denigrate the nation's sovereignty.

A similar Beijing tactic was also to blame for the suspension of talks on allowing Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan, he said.

Asked his much criticized policy inconsistencies, Chen said he has never changed since he came to power in 2000 and that the promises he made to the world, the US government and US President George W. Bush have remained unchanged.

The government's name-change campaign does not violate the "four noes" pledge he made in 2000, he said, because it does not involve changing the name of the country.

Regarding corruption scandals enveloping him and his family, Chen said he felt more embarrassed than ashamed. He said he was not worried about the outcome because he had faith in the justice system.

After he steps down from the presidency, Chen said he would like to spend more time with his family and work as a volunteer. He said he would like to do more traveling, but China was not among his priorities.