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DPP, KMT vow to press on with UN referendum bids

Twu Shiing-jer, left, head of the UN for Taiwan Alliance, and Democratic Progressive Party Secretary-General Lin Chia-lung, stand in a hot air balloon while promoting Taiwan's bid during a hot air balloon festival in Taichung yesterday. PHOTO: LIAO YAO-TUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

Both the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday vowed to continue pushing for their versions of a UN referendum despite discouraging remarks by the US on Thursday denying Taiwanese statehood.

Party heavyweights from the two parties joined in their condemnation of US senior director for East Asian affairs at the National Security Council Dennis Wilder's statement that Taiwan is "not a state."

"Taiwan is definitely a nation. If over 60 percent of the people support Taiwanese independence in the referendum, the world will recognize Taiwan. Only the referendum can save the country," Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday after attending a party event in Taipei.

Yu said the DPP's UN referendum bid to join the UN under the name "Taiwan" was in preparation for the party's intention to hold a referendum on Taiwanese independence. He then lashed out at the US for being an "irresponsible country" that promotes democracy and freedom but opposes Taiwan's right to hold referendums.

In response to the US' opposition to the UN referendum bid, KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) argued that the US' remarks were targeted at the DPP, adding that the KMT would continue pushing for its own version of a UN referendum, which proposes that the country rejoin the UN "under a practical title."

"The KMT will push for its version of the UN referendum bid regardless of US and Chinese pressure. Even if the DPP withdraws its version, the KMT will continue in its efforts," KMT spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) said later at party headquarters.

KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday blamed the strong US reaction on the DPP's attempt to push for the bid to enter the UN under the name "Taiwan," arguing that it was still possible for the country to be recognized in the international community under the name "Republic of China (ROC).

"The US treats the ROC as a foreign government in the Taiwan Relation Act (台灣關係法). In other words, it is still feasible to rejoin the UN under the name `ROC,"' Ma said during a trip to Kaohsiung.

Ma's remarks drew harsh criticism from the DPP's Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), who said a presidential candidate must recognize "Taiwan" as a nation.

"Ma has previously said that Taiwan has political sovereignty. His remarks highlight his lack of faith in himself and the country," Hsieh said.

"Taiwan has its own judicial system, budget, army and legislature, and it elects its own president. Of course it is a nation," he said.

The Government Information Office (GIO), meanwhile, launched a Web site promoting the nation's UN bid yesterday.

"We welcome everybody who cares about this issue to visit the Web site and show their support," Cabinet spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) said. "The site offers a little game and whoever plays it the most will win a gift from the GIO after the activity concludes on Oct. 1."

Among the prizes are an iPod, two iPod nanos, three New York Yankee pitcher Wang Chien-min (王建民) dolls and four Yankee polo shirts. Players will also receive a T-shirt with the Taiwan UN bid logo.

In addition to online games, visitors to www.taiwanunme.tw/ch can access all related documents, such as the history, news articles and analysis concerning Taiwan's UN bid over the years.

Shieh said the government has spent NT$20 million (US$610,000) abroad promoting the UN bid and NT$830,000 domestically.

"We have a NT$30 million budget for this year and we will make every penny count," Shieh said.

Additional reporting by Jimmy Chuang
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