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DPP feuds over Yu resignation fallout

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Yu Shyi-kun is surrounded by DPP legislators and supporters as he talks to the media at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after returning from Canada yesterday. PHOTO: YAO CHIEH-HSIU, TAIPEI TIMES

Bitter feuding broke out among Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members yesterday over whether DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun should resign his position amid the party's controversial effort to pass a "normal country resolution."

Returning to Taipei yesterday afternoon, Yu said that he would resign as chairman after the party's convention, which is scheduled to be held on Sunday.

Yu's initiative to include changing the nation's name from "Republic of China" to "Taiwan" in the draft will also be discussed at the convention.

Prosecutors on Friday indicted Yu, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and National Security Council Secretary-General Mark Chen (陳唐山) for misusing special allowance funds. Yu announced shortly after that he would resign as the party's chairman.

DPP legislators, officials at the party's headquarters and groups supporting independence yesterday mobilized supporters to greet Yu at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

Yu flew to Canada on Thursday to campaign for the party among overseas Taiwanese.

"They couldn't even tolerate Yu's staying put in his position until the party convention?"

Wang Sing-nan, Democratic Progressive Party legislator

Yu told the crowd that he would step down at the "proper time" because "I have to take responsibility for what I am supposed to," without elaborating on what his "responsibility" entailed.

The future of the nation was more important than his position as DPP chairman, Yu said, adding that the DPP should continue to push to change the national title and to write a new constitution to reach the goal of joining the UN under the name "Taiwan."

DPP Central Standing Committee member Huang Ching-lin (黃慶林) urged Yu to stay put because "nothing good comes from replacing the party's chairman before elections."

But DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said: "It's very obvious that Yu wants to fully attend to the normal country resolution issue before he leaves."

"In that case, Yu must listen to the opinions of DPP members and exchange ideas with [DPP presidential candidate] Frank Hsieh (謝長廷). The concern over the country's future and that of the party is not [Yu's] alone," Ker said.

The DPP's Central Executive Committee on Aug. 30 passed the draft "normal country resolution," which says the nation should hold a referendum on Taiwan's indepence statehood at an appropriate time.

But Yu recently proposed a revision to the draft stating that the nation should write a new constitution for "Taiwan," clearly declaring Taiwan a sovereignty.

Yu's revision was welcomed by pan-green supporters, who are often labeled as supporters of formal independence.

However, it has also drawn criticism from some DPP leaders who questioned the timing of the proposal because of the approaching elections.

DPP Legislator Wang Sing-nan (王幸男) said that it was "terrifying" seeing how DPP party members had tried to force Yu out.

"They couldn't even tolerate Yu's staying put in his position until the party convention?" he asked.

But DPP Legislator Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) said that no one had demanded Yu's resignation.

"It was Yu who said he would keep his promise to resign if indicted. Yu would only be jeered by the pan-blue camp if he dragged his feet in resigning for any reason," Lee said.

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