Less than one week after the official announcement by KMT presidential candidate Lien Chan (
The meeting was arranged to introduce the formation of a team which Soong called the "New Taiwanese Service Corps" (
Political observers, however, saw the meeting as a sounding ground for the former provincial governor in his efforts to find a suitable running mate for the upcoming election.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
In an apparent effort to give Soong room to maneuver in his search for a running mate, Wu discounted the idea of a Soong-Wu ticket.
But at the same time, he left the door open.
When asked if Soong had been urging him to agree to run with him, or whether he had already ruled out accepting such an offer, Wu laughed and said: "There is plenty of time -- there's no need to rush.''
Wu's staffers were more forthcoming.
"The possibility is getting stronger, but I suspect Wu probably won't team up with Soong,'' said one staffer who wished to remain anonymous.
"First, Wu just missed being on the KMT ticket with Lien. If he immediately runs to Soong's camp it could tarnish his public image. He could be seen as an eager pursuer of power,'' he said.
The staffer said that Soong had already attracted more than 60 percent of the Hakka vote and having Wu -- who is of Hakka ancestry -- on the ticket would be of little use in that regard.
"I believe Wu knows these facts very well," he said.
Still, Wu wasn't ruling himself out.
"I have to think about myself first -- including my own emotions and considerations. In the meantime, I will listen more and say less. This way I can make my decision peacefully and deliberately,'' Wu said.
The two met for about 40 minutes at Wu's charitable foundation (伯仲文教基金會) in Taipei, after which Soong spoke of the cooperation of the "new Taiwan-ese team."
"The greatest significance of such a group will be to cross the boundaries of party and ethnicity to elevate Taiwan to a new level," he said.
Soong said the new team would prioritize national security and the well-being of the people, and added that he looked forward to Wu contributing to the group.
"The main purpose [of the visit] is not only to personally invite Wu to participate on the team, but to ask for his advice. I therefore hope Wu will join us as we devote ourselves to improving the future prospects of Taiwan," Soong said.
Wu responded by saying: "Politics never lasts long, but friendships can be everlasting.''
The Wu-Soong meeting evoked memories of their past competition for political power, such as the 1994 KMT provincial governor primary, when Wu vied with Soong in the election.
Soong was eventually nominated by the party, and won during the first -- and last -- popular election for provincial governor. The post was cancelled after the downsizing of the provincial government at the end of last year.
Wu said that he hoped to contribute to the betterment of Taiwanese society but that as far as winning or losing, he "wouldn't pay much attention to it."
The possibility of a Soong-Wu match-up, political analysts say, looms large within the KMT, already split by Soong's decision to go it alone.
"If Wu really does cross over [to Soong's side], it will increase the turbulence among KMT political heavyweights," according to Julian Kuo (
"The meeting was aimed at creating the space for speculation that Soong and Wu may co-operate," Kuo said.
"But Wu has always been an indecisive person. Whether the speculation becomes reality really depends on how much guts he has," Kuo added.
LONG FLIGHT: The jets would be flown by US pilots, with Taiwanese copilots in the two-seat F-16D variant to help familiarize them with the aircraft, the source said The US is expected to fly 10 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70/72 jets to Taiwan over the coming months to fulfill a long-awaited order of 66 aircraft, a defense official said yesterday. Word that the first batch of the jets would be delivered soon was welcome news to Taiwan, which has become concerned about delays in the delivery of US arms amid rising military tensions with China. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the initial tranche of the nation’s F-16s are rolling off assembly lines in the US and would be flown under their own power to Taiwan by way
OBJECTS AT SEA: Satellites with synthetic-aperture radar could aid in the detection of small Chinese boats attempting to illegally enter Taiwan, the space agency head said Taiwan aims to send the nation’s first low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite into space in 2027, while the first Formosat-8 and Formosat-9 spacecraft are to be launched in October and 2028 respectively, the National Science and Technology Council said yesterday. The council laid out its space development plan in a report reviewed by members of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee. Six LEO satellites would be produced in the initial phase, with the first one, the B5G-1A, scheduled to be launched in 2027, the council said in the report. Regarding the second satellite, the B5G-1B, the government plans to work with private contractors
MISSION: The Indo-Pacific region is ‘the priority theater,’ where the task of deterrence extends across the entire region, including Taiwan, the US Pacific Fleet commander said The US Navy’s “mission of deterrence” in the Indo-Pacific theater applies to Taiwan, Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler told the South China Sea Conference on Tuesday. The conference, organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), is an international platform for senior officials and experts from countries with security interests in the region. “The Pacific Fleet’s mission is to deter aggression across the Western Pacific, together with our allies and partners, and to prevail in combat if necessary, Koehler said in the event’s keynote speech. “That mission of deterrence applies regionwide — including the South China Sea and Taiwan,” he
‘NARWHAL’: The indigenous submarine completed its harbor acceptance test recently and is now under heavy guard as it undergoes tests in open waters, a source said The Hai Kun (海鯤), the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, yesterday began sea trials, sailing out of the Port of Kaohsiung, a military source said. Also known as the “Narwhal,” the vessel departed from CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard at about 8am, where it had been docked. More than 10 technicians and military personnel were on deck, with several others standing atop the sail. After recently completing its harbor acceptance test, the vessel has started a series of sea-based trials, including tests of its propulsion and navigational systems, while partially surfaced, the source said. The Hai Kun underwent tests in the port from
RSS