People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday criticized many aspects of the current administration, including President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) visit to Gambia, as potentially obstructive to good cross-strait relations.
Saying that it was commendable for Taiwan to assist African countries in overcoming starvation and poverty, Soong added, "But when we spend a fortune enhancing diplomatic ties with them we should take care that such activities don't harm cross-strait relations," Soong said at a press conference, held just one day after returning from Europe.
Soong explained that when Gambian President Yahya Jammeh met President Chen, he said that he hoped Taiwan would declare independence one day.
Soong said he felt that such statements on the international stage would further hamper progress in long-stalled cross-strait talks and send an erroneous message to the world that Taiwan is pursuing independence.
Soong also said that the new government's "disharmony" on cross-strait policy had given rise to doubts among the public whether the president, vice president and Cabinet really had a common goal.
"There should be no difference between the cross-strait policy presented to foreign countries and that presented to the Taiwan public," Soong said.
He then made explicit reference to Chairwoman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, Chang Fu-mei (
Soong said Chang's statement sounded like KMT policys.
Asked to comment on the Yin Ching-feng (尹清楓) murder investigation, Soong said that corruption among top officials was the root of "black gold" politics, urging the government to pay as much attention to Yin's case as to the Lafayette frigate deal between Taiwan and France.
He also raised doubts, however, about how much further the investigation could go. "Ever since Chen was elected, he has been continuing to further links with with certain business sectors. He even returns their favors with bigger favors," Soong said.
Soong voiced his support for the Ministry of Justice's offensive against "black gold" politics, but said due process of law and human rights must be respected.
"Sufficient evidence should be collected and presented before any search is carried out by judicial authorities," said Soong.
Asked whether he supported modification of the Guidelines for National Unification, Soong told reporters that he was now sceptical about Chen's motive in calling a round-table meeting of party leaders, because it seemed to him that "everything, including the modifications, appears set and awaiting endorsement."
Concluding the press conference, Soong echoed former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh's (施明德) views on constitutional reform, saying that if amending the Constitution were only for the purpose of expanding the president's power, the political system itself risked being sacrificed. He also added that the KMT and DPP had to shoulder political responsibility for constitutional reform.
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