Wed, May 09, 2001 page2

• Cities still clashing over culture

  NAME-CALLING The president's nine-man task force denied accusations they had encouraged the Kaohsiung mayor to stir up the ruckus over Taipei's cultural event

  • By Ko Shu-ling / STAFF REPORTER
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  A dispute over an international cultural event sponsored by the Taipei City Government continued between local government officials in Taipei and Kaohsiung yesterday.

  Forty-six cities representing 12 countries and 24 counties and cities in Taiwan have signed up to participate in the three-month event, dubbed "Cultural City of Asia Pacific" (亞太文化之都).

  But six DPP-controlled cities and counties have decided not to participate in the July event, responding to Kaohsiung mayor and DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) call to boycott it because of disputes over funding.

  Hsieh also believes that Taipei is using the event to promote its own image.

  In response to the boycott, the Taipei City Government's spokesman accused the ruling party of "politicizing" the event.

  "We're shocked and confused about the criticism voiced by Hsieh when he said that we are hosting the event only for political purposes," said the city's spokesman King Pu-tsung (金浦聰). "We sincerely hope that he'll stop politicizing the issue and be more open-minded."

  Hsieh on Sunday criticized Taipei for treating event participants as if they were its subordinate departments because each have to apply for an NT$200,000 performance subsidy from the city.

  King said that the subsidy is available for performing groups, not the local governments. "We don't have any problem not giving out the money if they don't want it," King said. "But we're very serious about making the event possible."

  King added that if local governments are upset about seeing Taipei City named as the event sponsor, Taipei wouldn't mind putting its name at the bottom of the list.

  "If they think that the event is designed as a public relations stunt for Ma, he wouldn't mind taking an unnoticeable position on stage. If they would like to see the Cabinet's Council for Cultural Affairs preside over the event, we'd be glad to extend the invitation, although it may seem a little bit odd for the central government to host such a city-to-city event," King said.

  In response, Kaohsiung City spokesperson Kuan Pi-ling (管碧玲) held a press conference in the afternoon to criticize King's "provocative and satirical remarks."

  "He twisted everything we'd said. We don't see any point in us participating in the event any more," she said, adding that what Kaohsiung is after is simply cultural equality.

  Kuan also called her counterpart a "fighting cock," and has previously called him a "joy-rider armed with a machete cutting through the crowd."

  The local Chinese-language media have reported that the president's nine-man task force gave Hsieh tacit permission to make waves over the event.

  Chou Po-lun (周伯倫), convener of the DPP legislative caucus, however, dismissed such speculation yesterday, saying that the nine-man task force failed to discuss the issue during its last meeting.

  Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) echoed Chou's remarks.

  "Taipei and Kaohsiung are like our own sons. We'd encourage them to work together, not to be enemies," he said.

  At the council yesterday afternoon, Taipei City councilor Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) of the DPP blamed Lung for causing the controversy.

  "As far as I know, many people have complained about the special treatment you receive from the mayor, and how you don't care about other people's feelings except for those of the mayor and for how the media portrays you," he said.

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