Leaving open the question of the People First Party's (PFP) political ideology, PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) emphasized yesterday upon his return to the nation that the PFP will make "the people" its top priority, and that it is not biased towards any party.
Speaking at CKS International Airport after arriving at 6am yesterday morning, Soong said that the PFP is seeking to balance the nation's political scene.
"In the future, the PFP will have a balancing role: [we hope to] cause the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] to change, and help the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] reform," Soong said yesterday. He added that the PFP cannot be bought by any party.
The PFP had no pricetag, Soong said, and its willingness to cooperate with other parties is not a matter of dividing spoils, but is a question of ideology.
Soong had been in the US since early last month.
During his absence, rumors abounded that the PFP, unhappy with its experience cooperating with the KMT in last month's legislative elections, was being approached by the DPP to form a coalition government and to cooperate in the legislative speaker and deputy speaker races this Tuesday.
While at the airport, Soong further emphasized that he did not meet with any members of the governing DPP or of the KMT, as had been rumored by the media.
His trip, Soong said, was meant to give him a better understanding of Taiwan's good friend, the US.
During his time in the US, Soong said, he came to understand that Taiwan needs "three reconciliations" in the areas of cross-strait relations, ethnic interaction and politics. Soong said he was disappointed by the naked thirst for power and status demonstrated by Taiwanese politicians, by the political parties themselves, by fame and by praise and disparagement.
"We must reject the standoff between the blue and green [camps], and look anew for a turning point in stabilizing the future development of Taiwan," Soong said.
While in the US, Soong said, he realized that the cross-strait issue is even more serious than everyone has thought. Political disagreements between parties have caused the level of consolidation in the Taiwanese public's will to be weaker than it should be, he added.
In an apparent show of the KMT's desire to work with the PFP, two KMT vice chairmen -- Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Upon seeing Wang, Soong reiterated his support for the parties' joint legislative speakership campaign.
Wang is making a re-election run for the legislative speakership, while the PFP has nominated Legislator Chung Jung-chi (鐘榮吉) to run for the deputy legislative speakership.
While the two parties have been openly supportive of the Wang-Chung ticket, there have been rumors that the PFP has been unhappy with what it views as lukewarm support from the KMT for Chung.
While at the airport, Wang said that the KMT is "definitely" committed to cooperating with the PFP. Furthermore, Wang said, his party views making sure that all 82 KMT legislators vote for Wang and Chung its "highest priority."
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