Sun, Apr 10, 2005 page2

• KMT casts doubt on Chen's sincerity

  NOT GENUINE After the president proposed meeting with Lien before the KMT chairman's trip to China, a party spokesman said the invitation can't be trusted

  • By Caroline Hong / STAFF REPORTER
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  The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday questioned President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) sincerity after Chen proposed meeting with KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) before Lien makes a trip to China.

  "If President Chen was sincere about wanting to meet with Lien, then why would he criticize Lien by saying `when [Lien] has administrative power, he does one thing, but he does another when [he] becomes an opposition [party leader]," said KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭) yesterday.

  Chang said that Chen's invitation can't be trusted, given that Chen has a history of going back on his word -- as can be seen from his ever-shifting position on his `Four Noes' policy.

  The spokesman also defended Lien's intention to go to China and meet with Beijing authorities without government authorization.

  "Chairman Lien has held significant government positions and is in the best position to defend the principles of the Republic of China and to place the good of Taiwan first," Chiang said. "His tour of China will uphold equality across the Strait and the dignity of Taiwan, while furthering cross-strait peace."

  Furthermore, Lien is under no obligation to get government authority for his trip, Chang said, because his status is leader of a non-governmental organization.

  The debate over whether or not opposition parties should seek the government's blessing prior to sending delegations to China continued yesterday, with Chen calling on Lien to meet with him before Lien leaves to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).

  Continuing the speculation about the imminent trip, the KMT yesterday also denied various media reports that had pinpointed May 10 as the date that Lien and KMT Secretary-General Lin Feng-cheng (林豐正) would head to China.

  Reports in Chinese newspapers yesterday identified May 10 as either the day Lien was planning to make the trip to China with three of the KMT's vice chairmen, or as the day that Lin would head to China to hammer out the details of Lien's trip.

  The KMT denied the rumors in a statement yesterday. The allegations are "not the truth" and the details of Lien's "journey of peace" are still being planned, the statement read.

  Chen yesterday criticized Lien for planning a visit to Beijing.

  Chen said he is willing to support Lien's visit to China and authorize Lien to meet with China's Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), but stressed that the opposition leader should first discuss his plans with him.

  "All issues [concerning visits to China] are questions of a nation's sovereign rights and a government's authority," Chen said. "For the sake of seeking the nation's highest interest, is it so hard for Lien Chan to come and speak with me first?"

  Chen made the comments after returning to Taipei yesterday from a trip to the Vatican for Pope John Paul II's funeral.

  Chen said that he, being the national leader, is in support of pragmatic cross-strait exchanges that are in both sides' interests.

  Noting that Lien previously served as premier as well as vice president and thus would not be unaware of the political risks that come with interacting with China, Chen called on Lien to "put himself in [my] shoes."

  "If [Lien] were the national leader today, would he allow normalization of cross-strait relations by nonstandard means?"

  additional reporting by Huang Tai-ling
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