Relations between President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) remain firm, despite speculation to the contrary, a TSU official said yesterday.
Recently, there has been talk in political circles that relations between the two have soured over comments Chen made in his forthcoming book.
"Nothing has changed [between the two]," said Shu Chin-chiang (
"If people think their relationship would be hurt by just a few words, then you underestimate the solid basis of that relationship."
DPP legislative candidates yesterday also said that relations between Chen and Lee were on firm ground. Lee will soon hit the campaign trail to stump for DPP candidates in the lead-up to the Dec. 1 elections.
"To give a shot in the arm to the `pan-green' alliance, Chen and Lee will likely share the stage in southern Taiwan in the countdown to the elections, campaigning for both parties," a DPP candidate said.
In the past week, the hubbub within Taiwan's political circles has been that relations between Lee and Chen have been in turmoil because of comments made by the president in his new book, The Premier Voyage of the Century (世紀首航).
In the book, Chen writes that many files were not handed over during the transition of power in May last year, and that "National Security Council did not even have a complete set of minutes for its meetings."
Opposition politicians were quick to seize the chance to sow the appearance of discord between the two, claiming Chen was insinuating that Lee had hidden top-secret documents before leaving office.
Presidential Office officials said the opinions expressed in the book did not intend to accuse the former government of any wrongdoing.
Opposition politicians said the cozy relations between Chen and the 78-year-old former president -- who has been his closest political ally -- had been tarnished. In addition, they claimed that Lee was pondering dissolving the alliance between the DPP and TSU, which views Lee as its spiritual leader.
Shu yesterday refuted those suggestions as hearsay. "The [opposition parties] simply took this chance to divide the two parties' coalition," the TSU secretary-general said.
"Lee has emphasized that the reason for his support is for the interest of the country. That belief won't be shaken just by a few words."
Shu also said that Lee wasn't likely to offer his own account on the matter, as it wasn't necessary.
He added that the book was just trying to highlight the lack of an institution to handle changes in power.
Lee appeared calm and his mood undisturbed when he showed up at a campaign rally in Taipei on Tuesday evening. At the rally, Lee accused the opposition parties of igniting social conflict by utilizing the chance to "make a storm out of a teacup."
Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興), the DPP's candidate for Kaohsiung County commissioner, said cooperation between the TSU and his party would go forward unhindered by the opposition's tactics.
Yang confirmed that Lee would campaign for commissioner candidates in Taipei and Pintung Counties and the mayoral candidate in Taichung.
Yang also said that the two "campaign super stumpers," Chen and Lee, would share the same stage together, most likely in Kaohsiung, on the eve of the elections.
BACK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The planned transit by the ‘Baden-Wuerttemberg’ and the ‘Frankfurt am Main’ would be the German Navy’s first passage since 2002 Two German warships are set to pass through the Taiwan Strait in the middle of this month, becoming the first German naval vessels to do so in 22 years, Der Spiegel reported on Saturday. Reuters last month reported that the warships, the frigate Baden-Wuerttemberg and the replenishment ship Frankfurt am Main, were awaiting orders from Berlin to sail the Strait, prompting a rebuke to Germany from Beijing. Der Spiegel cited unspecified sources as saying Beijing would not be formally notified of the German ships’ passage to emphasize that Berlin views the trip as normal. The German Federal Ministry of Defense declined to comment. While
‘REGRETTABLE’: TPP lawmaker Vivian Huang said that ‘we will continue to support Chairman Ko and defend his innocence’ as he was transferred to a detention facility The Taipei District Court yesterday ruled that Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) be detained and held incommunicado over alleged corruption dating to his time as mayor of Taipei. The ruling reversed a decision by the court on Monday morning that Ko be released without bail. After prosecutors on Wednesday appealed the Monday decision, the High Court said that Ko had potentially been “actively involved” in the alleged corruption and ordered the district court to hold a second detention hearing. Ko did not speak to reporters upon his arrival at the district court at about 9:10am yesterday to attend a procedural
‘UPHOLDING PEACE’: Taiwan’s foreign minister thanked the US Congress for using a ‘creative and effective way’ to deter Chinese military aggression toward the nation The US House of Representatives on Monday passed the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act, aimed at deterring Chinese aggression toward Taiwan by threatening to publish information about Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials’ “illicit” financial assets if Beijing were to attack. The act would also “restrict financial services for certain immediate family of such officials,” the text of the legislation says. The bill was introduced in January last year by US representatives French Hill and Brad Sherman. After remarks from several members, it passed unanimously. “If China chooses to attack the free people of Taiwan, [the bill] requires the Treasury secretary to publish the illicit
The Executive Yuan yesterday warned against traveling to or doing business in China after reports that Beijing is recruiting Taiwanese to help conceal the use of forced Uighur labor. The government is aware that Taiwan-based influencers and businesses are being asked to make pro-Beijing content and offered incentives to invest in the region, Executive Yuan acting spokeswoman Julia Hsieh (謝子涵) told a news conference. Taiwanese are urged to be aware of the potential personal and reputational harm by visiting or operating businesses in China, Hsieh said, adding that agencies are fully apprised of the situation. A national security official said that former Mainland
RSS