The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday rebutted criticism from Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and Presidential Office spokesperson Charles Chen (陳以信) over DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) participation in talks on Taiwan’s entry into the WTO and her cross-strait policy.
Speaking at a campaign rally for KMT Legislator Yang Li-huan (楊麗環) in Taoyuan, Wu questioned Tsai’s negotiation abilities, saying that it was because of Tsai’s failure in talks for Taiwan’s entry into the WTO that the price of rice wine increased to NT$180 (US$5.4) per bottle — as negotiators from other nations insisted that it is drinkable wine and therefore should carry a heavier tariff — after Taiwan became a WTO member.
Wu said that it was due to his efforts as premier that the price dropped back down to NT$25 per bottle.
Photo: EPA
“The agreement was signed in 1998, the negotiations were completed during the KMT administration, with [former vice president] Vicent Siew (蕭萬長) coordinating all negotiations, and then-minister of economic affairs Wang Chih-kang (王志剛) serving as the chief negotiator, and it was also Wang who signed the final agreement in the end,” DPP spokesperson Yang Chia-liang (楊家俍) said yesterday. “As for the rice wine, it was negotiated by representatives from the Ministry of Finance and Council of Agriculture.”
“Tsai was only an advisor in the delegation at the time — with so many ministers and officials taking part in the talks, would an advisor be allowed to make the final decision? Should those officials not be the ones shouldering the responsibilities?” Yang asked.
As for the Presidential Office’s criticism that Tsai’s proposal to establish a “communication channel” with Beijing would be a major setback in the cross-strait relationship, Yang said that perhaps President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and the KMT should reflect on their own actions.
“The president that has a an approval rating of 9 percent is Ma, not Tsai, and at the moment, it is Ma who is in power, not Tsai,” Yang said.
Yang made the remarks in response to media queries on the sidelines of a rally in Taoyuan, during which Tsai campaigned for herself and the DPP’s legislative candidates in Taoyuan.
Despite heavy rain, thousands of supporters turned out to show their support for Tsai and the DPP’s legislative candidates.
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