Wed, May 09, 2001 page1

• Lien forced Lee out, new book says

  POWER STRUGGLE A new book says that Lee Teng-hui felt betrayed by Lien Chan, who reportedly told him to step down from his post after last year's election defeat

  • By Lin Chieh-yu / STAFF REPORTER
  • • 
    • 
    • 

  Excerpts from a book to be published tomorrow shed some light on the frayed relations between former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and his hand-picked successor Lien Chan (連戰), now KMT chairman, in the immediate aftermath of last year's presidential election on March 18.

  According to the book, Lee blames Lien for forcing him out of the KMT chairmanship, saying Lien had urged him to step down as soon as possible to take responsibility for the KMT's disastrous showing in the polls.

  

  The cover of new book about Lee Teng-hui, which says Lien Chan forced him out of the KMT chairmanship last year.

  PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES

  Lien stood as the KMT's candidate in last year's presidential election but members of his campaign team said that he blamed Lee for his defeat, saying the outgoing president had shifted his support to the DPP's candidate, Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in the final period of the campaign.

  However, Lee's close aides have told reporters during the past year that Lee was disappointed in Lien for misunderstanding him and for ignoring Lee's total support for him throughout the previous decade.

  The book, titled An Account of Lee Teng-hui in Power (李登輝執政告白), quoted Lee as saying, "Lien made my heart shiver," when he coldly responded "the sooner the better" to Lee's question as to whether Lee should resign the chairmanship and, if so, when.

  The book's author, Tzou Jiing-wen (鄒景雯), a senior reporter and the deputy editor in chief of the Liberty Times, said yesterday that she had interviewed Lee many times after the presidential election, "and all the quotes are Lee's actual words."

  A Japanese book released last week claimed that Lien had urged Lee to relinquish his leadership as soon as possible after the election defeat. Tzou's book reiterates the Japanese publication's claim that Lee felt betrayed by Lien.

  Tzou wrote that Lee had originally planned to remain party chairman until last September in order to facilitate a smooth transfer of the post to Lien, but that he ultimately decided to step down on the night of March 21 last year, just three days after the March 18 election.

  The book states, "Lee's term as chairman would have ended in August 2001, but Lee was worried that then independent presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜), [former Taiwan Provincial Governor and protege of Lee's in the KMT] might try to return to the KMT to steal the party leadership. Lee therefore decided to stay in the post until September 2000."

  The book says Lee felt that something was wrong when, following the March 18 election, Lien did not contact him, despite crowds of demonstrators outside KMT headquarters calling for Lee's resignation. Finally, on March 21, Lee phoned Lien asking for a meeting.

  "The night of March 21," the book says, "Lee says was the hardest moment for him to forget because he felt mortally wounded by his hand-picked successor."

  During the meeting, according to the book, Lee asked Lien, "Do you think I should resign given this horrendous situation?"

  Lien answered, coldly, "Yes. You should." Lee further asked, "Do you think I should quit sooner or later?" Lien responded, "Since you have decided to quit, the sooner the better."

  Following Lien's answer, the book says, Lee fully understood that Lien and his aides wanted him out. He decided to resign immediately.

  After evening papers yesterday gave extensive coverage to excerpts from the book, KMT spokesman Wang Chih-kang (王志剛) denied that Lien had ever urged Lee to step down.
• Most Popular

  • 1

    Jeers as Real Madrid fall 2-1 to Man City

  • 2

    Taiwanese tourists go viral in video during Japan quake

  • 3

    Climber to attempt free solo of 101

  • 4

    YouBike to require insurance for all riders from Jan. 1

  • 5

    US military might ‘waning,’ editorial says