Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said in an interview about her presidential ambitions to be published tonight that supporters were in for a “surprise.”
“A lot of people look at me from a more traditional political point of view. [This] would likely be wrong,” the transcript of the two-hour interview with cable news station Era News quoted her as saying.
“Before 2008, I wasn’t your traditional Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] or DPP politician. My thinking is possibly very different from that of other people,” she said.
The remarks marked the first time Tsai spoke openly with media on the possibility of a -presidential bid, which is likely to fuel rumors that she has presidential aspirations for 2012, regardless of whether she wins the November elections in the region to be known as Sinbei,
Asked what her reaction would be if supporters continued to press her to make a presidential bid, Tsai said she would take things one step at a time.
“People who know how I think and weigh my actions [would know] that the time is not ripe and that I will not make any decision prematurely,” she said.
“That’s because the decision could very well be the wrong decision,” Tsai said.
Of her current campaign for Sinbei, Tsai said: “My current choice is to be elected Sinbei City mayor.”
The 54-year-old Tsai, who has served as vice premier and chairperson of the Mainland -Affairs Council, is seen in some circles as one of the best chances the party has against President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in 2012.
Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said in a statement earlier this week that Tsai and Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), the DPP’s candidate for Taipei City, were using the November elections as a springboard for the 2012 ticket.
In his view, Tsai had a good chance of representing the DPP in the presidential ballot, Chen said.
However, Tsai downplayed the comments, saying: “Even though I served under Chen, he doesn’t completely understand my future political path and political views.”
Tsai has yet to make a public pledge to serve out her term, a move that has attracted criticism from her KMT opponent, Eric Chu (朱立倫).
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