Independent presidential candidate James Soong (
Several political heavyweights of mainland origin, including former premier Hau Pei-tsun
Hau yesterday authorized his son, New Party legislator Hau Lung-pin (郝龍斌), to formally announce his backing for Soong.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"Ever since the president of the Academia Sinica, Lee Yuan-tseh
Under these circumstances, "my father has urged all his supporters to follow a similar path -- not just to dump Lien to save Soong, but also to dump pro-independence to save Taiwan," Hau said.
Hau was not alone yesterday in expressing his concern over the possibility of electing a pro-independence-minded candidate.
Former economics minister Chao Yao-tung
KMT lawmaker, Chin Hui-chu
Zhu used the harshest rhetoric to warn against the DPP and Chen pro-independent stance, Diane Lee said yesterday.
"Among the three major candidates' mainland policies, Lien's `two-states' model, inherited from President Lee Teng-hui
At a press conference organized by Soong's camp, former economics minister Chao Yao-tung
Chao praised Soong's leadership style, saying that he understands diverse opinions and is the most capable of bringing about reform.
Former finance minister Wang Chien-hsien endorsed Soong yesterday, despite the fact that his New Party, represented by writer Li Ao
Wang criticized Soong's major competitors, Lien and Chen. Wang said he decided to make public his stand for the "interests of the 23 million people on Taiwan," and not solely because of Soong himself.
With a string of mainlander politicians endorsing Soong as a way to contain a tendency towards Taiwan independence, which they said has been fanned by Chen, a political analyst said ethnic and ideological antagonism might prevail.
"While these endorsements draw more mainlander support away from Lien to Soong, it may also make more native Taiwanese vote for Chen, also at the expense of Lien," said Lin Chia-lung
"Overall, it could be more harmful to Lien and more favorable to Chen."
Some of Soong's campaign officials have similar worries.
"Hau is a prominent politician with a mainlander background. He is also strongly associated with pro-unification. Most of the voters who support his line of thinking are already in the Soong camp," said a pro-Soong legislator who asked not to be named.
"Hau may be able to bring in some new voters, but native Taiwanese might see him in the light of the old guard -- the very thing that those who support Chen will reject," the legislator said.
Even the younger Hau is aware of this situation.
"My father was reluctant to see the presidential race be fragmented by the issue of race. For this reason he asked me to make the announcement for him."
However, Hau did not rule out the possibility that his father might stump for Soong personally.
"My father said from now on he is willing to do anything which would help Soong's campaign," the younger Hau said.
During Hau's term as premier from 1990 to 1993, he was involved in a fierce power struggle with President Lee, which some in the media interpreted as a battle against the native Taiwanese president.
In 1996, Hau ran as an independent vice presidential candidate on a ticket with former president of the Judicial Yuan, Lin Yang-kang
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