President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) will share the stage today when they attend the Taiwan Solidarity Union's (TSU) fourth-anniversary celebrations.
The event is scheduled for 2pm today at the Taipei Ambassador Hotel.
This will mark the first time the two presidents meet at a public political event since their falling out after last December's legislative elections, aside from their attending a private function -- the June 26 wedding of Jeff Lin (林鴻聯), a son of the founder of the Liberty Times and Taipei Times, Lin Rong-san (林榮三).
After screening a video about the TSU's history and development, TSU Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (蘇進強) will officially introduce the party's candidates for the year-end "three-in-one" elections to the invited guests, according to a local Chinese-language newspaper.
Chen and Lee are scheduled to arrive at 3:30pm. Both are expected to give a speech at the party. Since Chen will also attend the event, Lee is expected to soften his criticism of the government's China policy.
Shu will also give a speech about the TSU's future. As for the rumor that he will run for the Yunlin County commissioner seat, TSU Secretary-General Cheng Cheng-lung (
"He [Shu] told me a few days ago that he plans to go back to his hometown and run for the commissioner position," Cheng said.
"He has already changed his `registered residence' back to Yunlin [an electoral requirement]," Cheng said.
Cheng said that Shu made the decision after encouragement by Lee, who is considered the TSU's spiritual leader.
Lee hopes that the TSU would be able to nominate four or five candidates to run in the local government elections. But, so far, the TSU has only nominated its former secretary-general Chen Chien-ming (
At the Lin wedding in June, the interaction of the two became a focal point for the media.
During the National Assembly election campaign, Chen and Lee had often butted heads, with Chen accusing Lee of wavering on many issues. Chen also told Lee not to interfere with the government too much.
Chen's comments led to a "freeze" in the two men's relationship, and Lee has seemed to be trying to avoid interacting with Chen in public in the past few months.
Lee declined to attend the wedding of Chen Shui-bian's only son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), the week before, even though the Chens sent representatives to invite him.
Although the two did not talk to each other at the Lin wedding ceremony, their respective wedding speeches alluded to their troubled relationship.
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