Tue, Jan 09, 2001 page3

• Chen urges DPP to focus on `black gold'

  ELECTION STRATEGY At a luncheon yesterday the president told lawmakers to focus on fighting corruption, not the opposition, in the upcoming legislative elections

  • By Lin Chieh-yu / STAFF REPORTER
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  President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday urged the ruling DPP to keep its focus on the fight against "black gold" in the year-end legislative elections.

  Chen added that with this focus the DPP could become the largest party in Legislative Yuan and help create the stability needed to continue Taiwan's political reform.

  "The ruling party's enemy is neither its own members nor any particular political party," Chen said, "it's black gold, which all Taiwanese thoroughly detest."

  

  President Chen Shui-bian speaks at a luncheon he hosted yesterday to thank the DPP legislative caucus for its support in the latest legislative session.

  PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES

  Chen's remarks during a luncheon with DPP lawmakers yesterday not only launched a campaign slogan, but also pointed to the DPP's election strategy to avoid direct competition with the opposition.

  "The DPP's campaign theme hopes to avoid squandering opportunities for cooperation with other political parties," said one senior DPP faction leader. "The president's comments take into consideration the possibility of organizing a coalition government if the DPP still fails to win the majority of seats in the legislative election."

  During the luncheon Chen encouraged DPP lawmakers to bring more "democracy," "progress," and "peace" to cross-strait relations.

  "Our political rivals always attack the DPP's advocacy for the future of Taiwan, and have even played the `terror card' (恐怖牌) -- accusing the DPP of being a threat to Taiwan -- during past campaigns. They have described the DPP as having a destabilizing influence on cross-strait relations," the president said.

  "The transfer of power, however, proves that the DPP can create new opportunities for breakthroughs in cross-strait relations, something the KMT has failed to do over the past five decades," Chen said.

  He stressed that the government insisted on maintaining both national security and people's rights and would deal with the cross-strait issue with courage and wisdom.

  Chen said he therefore expected the DPP to win the coming election to help the Cabinet implement its policies in the Legislative Yuan.

  "And the DPP will become the biggest party after the election, which will keep two arms of the government [the Executive Yuan and Legislative Yuan] cooperating with one another, and then Taiwan can eliminate black gold completely in 2001," Chen said.

  Over 40 DPP lawmakers attended the luncheon, vowing to accomplish the goal in a toast to the president.

  As to the fierce battle among party members for nomination as legislative candidates, Chen said he would respect the party's nomination mechanism, but he also promised to personally negotiate with faction leaders.

  "There are too many party members who want to be nominated, therefore, some of the party's lawmakers complained that Chen's close aides should not join the elections," said DPP legislative caucus leader Hsu Tain-tsair (許添財).

  "We did not spend time discussing this issue during the luncheon, but President Chen promised to help negotiate, if necessary," Hsu added.

  Lo Wen-chia (羅文嘉) and You Ying-lung (游盈隆), both Cabinet members and regarded as close aides of Chen, declared on Sunday that they would resign from their current posts to run in the upcoming legislative election. Lin Ying-yang (李逸洋), vice minister of the interior, said that he is considering following Lo and You.
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