The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday accused the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of scheming to deprive people of their right to protest in key locations during the visit of Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) next month.
DPP Taipei City councilors Lee Ching-feng (李慶鋒) and Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏) said President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) of the KMT had helped the KMT to obtain permits to use Ketagalan Boulevard next month in an attempt to prevent the pan-green camp from staging a rally there to protest against the Chinese official’s visit.
Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) said on Thursday that he expected to meet Chen on Nov. 3 in Taipei, with the schedule expected to be finalized during a preparatory round of talks in China on Monday.
“The KMT government cleared the roads to make sure that Chen Yunlin will not hear Taiwanese people’s opposition to his visit,” Chien said yesterday at the Taipei City Council. “The KMT takes Chinese people’s dignity seriously, but how about the dignity of Taiwanese people?”
According to Taipei City’s Public Works Department, the KMT has obtained permits to use Ketagalan Boulevard from Nov. 3 to Nov. 9, as well as Yuanshan Park (圓山公園) and Zhongshan N Road Sec 3 and Sec 4 from Nov. 3 to Nov. 15.
Chien said the KMT obtained permits to use the roads around the Grand Hotel in Taipei, where Chen is expected to stay, to prevent members of the pan-green camp from protesting outside the hotel.
KMT spokesman Lee Chien-jung (李建榮) said in response that the party applied for the permits long before Chen’s schedule had been confirmed, and that the party did not intend to prevent pan-green camp protests.
At a separate setting, DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), when asked for comment, said that the KMT had booked the roads to prevent the public from expressing opposition to Chen’s visit.
This constituted an infringement of the freedom of speech, she said.
Tsai called on the KMT not to “play tricks” to limit people’s right to express themselves.
She said the KMT government would have to accept full responsibility if any conflict were to erupt at the DPP’s planned overnight vigil as a result of the party not being able to gain permission to use Ketagalan Boulevard.
Chen, Chiang and their respective delegations are expected to discuss a wide range of topics, including food safety concerns related to China’s tainted food exports, the establishment of direct shipping and cargo charter links and increasing the number of direct passenger charter flights on weekends between Taiwan and China.
Meanwhile, in response to speculation that Chen might avoid visiting Tainan following the confrontation between ARATS Vice Chairman Zhang Mingqing (張銘清) and pro-independence advocates in the city on Tuesday, Chiang yesterday said the foundation would respect whatever schedule China has planned for Chen’s visit.
People First Party Legislator Lin Cheng-er (林正二) yesterday raised concerns at the legislature over the safety of Chen and his delegation.
Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) responded by saying that he had on many occasions given his assurance that there would be no gaps or lapses in security during Chen’s visit.
Lin asked Minister of the Interior Liao Liou-yi (廖了以) whether the government was ready to provide airtight personal protection for Chen and his group.
“Absolutely,” Liao said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY RICH CHANG AND CNA
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