DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh's (
The majority of CSC members, however, consented to put an end to the week-long controversy and urged all party members, including the chairman, to return to the party's 1999 resolution regarding Taiwan's future (台灣前途決議文) when dealing with cross-strait issues.
"The DPP reiterates that Taiwan is already an independent sovereign state and its name is the Republic of China, as our 1999 resolution declared," DPP Secretary-General Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) said at the press conference after the CSC meeting yesterday.
PHOTO: CHUANG CHUNG-LUNG, LIBERTY TIMES
When asked if Hsieh's remarks were in conflict with the resolution, Wu downplayed the issue by saying that "no CSC member has discussed the matter."
CSC member Chen Zau-nan (陳昭南), who on Tuesday threatened to oust Hsieh because of his remarks, did not actually challenge Hsieh directly yesterday.
"The DPP makes decisions based on the collegiate system (
"We did not blame Hsieh for making such comments during the meeting. But we think he should be more cautious about interpreting the party's policy since he is chairman," Taipei County Commissioner Su Cheng-chang (
Su had previously criticized Hsieh for setting a far softer tone than that of President Chen Shui-bian (
Su, however, also refused to comment any more on this matter yesterday.
Though Hsieh was under heavy criticism, he sought to bring the president to his aid.
"The president is very supportive of me as chairman," Hsieh said, reporting on Chen's reaction to his remarks during their weekly meeting.
Hsieh added that he and Chen both agreed that "the people are the arbiters of Taiwan's future and that we have confidence in them. Therefore, the DPP should not stick to stiff ideologies and the party should be tolerant of dissent."
Hsieh insisted that his remarks had not differed from Chen's, who said that unification was one of the options.
"During the Central Standing Committee meeting, Chen Zau-nan also suggested that the DPP hold discussions on clarifying the party's stance on various matters, including the tricky issue of independence or unification," DPP Legislator Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄) said.
Shen also added that most CSC members declined the suggestion for fear of causing yet more controversy which could harm the party's image.
Shen nevertheless added that the DPP was still finding ways to bridge the differences between the government and the party itself.
Meanwhile, a poll yesterday found that Hsieh was ranked second to bottom on a scale of people's satisfaction with mayors nationwide, which members of the Kaohsiung City Council said was disgraceful.
"We shall vote to cut Hsieh's salary by half because he has spent too much time being DPP chairman and dealing with the DPP's affairs," KMT Kaohsiung City Councilor Tsai Chien-hsin (
The Kaohsiung City Council is expected to be in session today.
Council speaker Huang Chi-chuan (黃啟川) yesterday echoed Tsai's view and threatened to give Hsieh a hard time during the next session if Hsieh still looks like he is showing a lack of interest in Kaohsiung City affairs.
DPP caucus convener Lee Chiao-ju (
"The DPP has only eight seats in the council. Even though all of us support him, he might not get through this session smoothly," Lee said.
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