Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) camp asked Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) rival Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday to stop turning back Hsieh's invitation to debate the UN membership bid.
The DPP also asked Ma to explain whether the KMT's referendum proposal represented a real objective or simply an electoral gambit.
Hsieh campaign manager Lee Ying-yuan (
"Taiwan cannot afford to lose. Taiwan must win," Lee said. "The referendum proposal to join the UN under the name `Taiwan' must pass. It would be an unbearable burden if it failed."
The DPP has proposed holding a referendum on whether to join the UN using the name "Taiwan," while the KMT has suggested another referendum on "rejoining" the body using the country's official name -- the Republic of China (ROC), or any other "practical" title that would uphold the country's dignity.
Lee said yesterday the questions the KMT needs to answer are simple. Is the KMT's goal to seek dignity for the 23 million people of Taiwan, or just an electoral ploy, he asked.
The DPP would also like to know Ma's definition of the ROC, he said. Is ROC the same as the ROC that existed before the country withdrew from the UN in 1971? Is the ROC Taiwan's ROC or China's ROC?
On Oct. 12, Hsieh invited Ma to debate the UN issue, but so far Ma has replied that Hsieh should instead discuss the economy.
Hsieh says that while the economy is important, dignity and hope are no less crucial, adding that "We are not pigs or other animals who do not care about the next generation and how to win the respect of others."
Ma told Hsieh to be patient as presidential debates are sure to be held, one way or another.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus continued to lambaste Hsieh yesterday, accusing him of being oblivious to the people's struggle "to make ends meet."
At a press conference, KMT Legislator Lin Te-fu (
Putting several kinds of vegetables on the table, KMT caucus whip Kuo Su-chun (郭素春) said Hsieh's "pig" remarks showed that he lives a wealthy lifestyle and cannot empathize with ordinary citizens.
"We can tell that this so-called `happiness economy' is nothing but shallow words," KMT Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang (
KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (
"Everyone needs to fulfill their physiological needs before they can seek to meet safety, belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization needs. If people are starving, they will not seek to fulfill these needs at all," Lai said.
In related matters, the Ma camp said it would relocate to a new campaign office.
Lee, meanwhile, said yesterday that the Hsieh camp was still looking for suitable premises and hoped to finalize the matter within a month.
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