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Chen taps Su to attend Malawian first lady's funeral

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday appointed former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) as his special envoy to attend the funeral of the first lady of Malawi this week, fueling speculation that Chen favors Su as the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) vice presidential candidate.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman David Wang (王建業) said yesterday that Su will fly to Malawi tomorrow, attend the funeral on Saturday and come back next Wednesday.

The trip will mark Su's second time visit to Malawi and his first since stepping down as premier. In July 2002, Su, as Taipei County commissioner, accompanied Chen on his visit to Malawi, Senegal, Swaziland and Sao Tome and Principe.

It was the first time for Chen to assign a former premier to attend the state funeral of a diplomatic ally. This has fueled speculation that Chen favors Su as DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) running mate. Hsieh is widely believed to favor former vice premier Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭).

Although the Presidential Office yesterday confirmed that Chen did talk with Hsieh and Su last week, it denied rumors that Chen wanted Hsieh to pair up with Su, adding that the president would respect Hsieh's decision.

The first lady of Malawi, Ethel Zvauya Mutharika, died on May 28 in the capital Lilongwe.

The Web site of SW Radio Africa stated that rumors of her failing health started at the end of March. The State House later issued a statement that she had undergone minor surgery outside the country.

The Web site also said it was the first time in the history of Malawi that a sitting president had lost a wife. The report said her body will be flown to Malawi's northern city of Mzuzu and then to the commercial city of Blantyre, where it will be laid to rest.

The report said the first lady will be remembered for her role in fighting for the rights of young girls and the elderly through her Ethel Mutharika Foundation. She is survived by her husband, four children and several grandchildren, Malawi's presidential press officer said.

Taiwan established diplomatic ties with the south African country in 1966. The landlocked country ranks among the world's least developed countries, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Malawi's economy is predominately agricultural, with about 85 percent of the population living in rural areas.

Additional reporting by Jewel Huang
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