A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) heavyweight said yesterday that the KMT would welcome President Chen Shui-bian's (
KMT Policy Coordinating Committee Deputy Director Chang Jung-kung (
Upon appointing Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chang Chun-hsiung (
Responding to Chen's overtures, Chang Jung-kung recalled that the president had said last week that direct cross-strait air links would not be opened before his tenure ends next May, and that in October 2003, Chang said, the president had declared that if he were re-elected, direct cross-strait air links would be opened by the end of 2004.
All Chen's overtures have been aimed at cheating the people for votes, Chang claimed, adding that once the elections were over and won, Chen had failed to deliver on his promises.
He pointed out, however, that Chen would sustain pressure from former Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), who is set to be nominated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as the ruling party's candidate for the 2008 presidential race and is known to be supportive of closer private sector ties with China.
He lamented that while the KMT has strived to push for Taiwan's opening to Chinese tourists and of direct cross-strait air links for cargo and passengers, the DPP administration has wavered between "open" and "not open" or has tried its best to stall.
Chang expressed hope that the new premier would help bring to fruition the DPP promises on easier and closer cross-strait ties.
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