Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Chen Shui-bian (
Chen also said he would not rule out the possibility of forming a coalition government with the Kuomintang if elected. However, he vowed that he would not consider joining a coalition government if it were to be led by the KMT.
Chen, the former mayor of Taipei and the leading opposition party's standard-bearer in the island's presidential race slated for March 2000, made the remarks to the Sankei Shimbun in a recent interview.
The mass-circulation daily also reported that Chen's public support has surged noticeably following the eruption last week of a financial scandal which has engulfed independent contender James Soong.
Until the scandal broke, Soong had enjoyed a comfortable lead over both Chen and the KMT's presidential candidate Vice President Lien Chan (
The DPP stalwart said he is confident of winning the election because many eligible voters who are behind him have remained silent, resulting in a relatively lower support rate for him in the polls.
Chen described Soong and Lien as the embodiments of Taiwan's notorious money politics, and said President Lee Teng-hui (
Chen also stressed that Taiwan-China ties could move in a positive direction if Beijing recognized the fact that Taiwan is an independent sovereign state.
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