A DPP lawmaker yesterday acknowledged that his party caucus was calling for a review on a contract signed last year between China Airlines and the US manufacturer Boeing Co.
"The DPP caucus presented the call to the government to review the contract since it was necessary after Boeing apparently failed to abide by the rule that business is business concerning its handling of a scheduled visit from Vice President Annette Lu," said DPP legislative whip Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁).
The government, as the biggest shareowner of China Airlines, has the right to reassess the deal, Chen said at a press conference yesterday morning.
"We would say that the contract could be reconsidered as a result of the government's finalizing a comprehensive assessment of maintaining a balance of the nation's business preferences and diplomatic interests," Chen said.
The legislative reaction came one day after Lu expressed dissatisfaction over the turnabout of a scheduled visit to the Seattle-based Boeing Co.
The giant US aircraft manufacturer offered to change the venue of Lu's visit from its office in Seattle to a separate port facility run by Boeing. Lu stopped in Seattle on her way back from her South American trip.
Lu said her staff did not have enough time to organize a visit to a separate venue.
Lu and the government believe that the unexpected change in plans was a result of Beijing's interference.
Lu, speaking at a dinner party in Seattle on Sunday evening, suggested that Boeing was making trouble for itself because the company may be jeopardizing a deal worth NT$69.6 billion (US$2 billion) with China Airlines.
But KMT lawmakers yesterday said that the government has just made another reckless diplomatic blunder.
The unpleasant treatment of the vice president exemplifies the DPP administration's carelessness in diplomatic work, said Lee Chia-chin (
"The KMT caucus feels sorry for Lu's troubles and we demand that an investigation be opened into the conduct of either the Presidential Office or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the mishaps during the vice president's trip," Lee said.
He argued that Lu ought to partly shoulder the blame since it was not the first time that she has encountered trouble during an overseas visit.
Lee claimed that the vice president should have confirmed the itinerary with the US company before leaving for the trip.
The reckless departure, according to the lawmaker, made both the vice president and the country look bad.
"The vice president's last trip to Indonesia also caused trouble," Lee said.
Lee's remark was criticized by his DPP counterpart as "shameful."
"The KMT legislator's censure targeting the vice president and the foreign ministry instead of blaming Boeing's turnabout or China was arguable," Chen said
"The KMT should not fire at its countrymen in this case," Chen said.
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