KMT’s Ma to move to recall President Chen, spokeswoman says

KMT spokeswoman Cheng Li-wen said Ma made this decision during a high ranking summit held by his party to discuss Chen’s latest move.

Chen’s eliminating of the National Unification Council (NUC) and its guidelines for national unification is likely to trigger new tensions in the Taiwan Strait, angering Beijing and worrying Washington.

“KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou thinks President Chen has not only set a time table for extreme independence ... but has also taken concrete actions,” Cheng told reporters.

“(Ma thinks) this seriously damages the status quo and is a threat to the national interest,” she said.

Abolishing the NUC arguably violates one of five promises Chen made in his first inaugural speech, known as his “five noes” policy. The “five noes” policy includes a promise not to scrap the NUC provided China does not use military force.

Chen’s aides have argued that China’s escalating military build-up is a show of force destroying the premise of his original promise.

Cheng said the KMT thought otherwise.

“The ‘five noes policy’ is the most important foundation for maintaining the status quo,” she said.

“Terminating the national unification guidelines puts the other ‘four noes’ promises on the brink of collapse,” she said.

Besides a promise not to scrap the NUC and its guidelines, the “five noes” policy also includes promises such as not changing the island’s official name to “Taiwan,” a move that would provoke Beijing to invade the island.

Beijing has threatened to invade Taiwan if it moves towards de jure independence. The U.S., Taiwan’s largest ally, is legally bound to come to the island’s rescue in the event of an unprovoked attack.

Cheng said U.S. promises to protect Taiwan from an unprovoked attack from China were not a “blank check.” Washington had said many times that Taiwan could not provoke changes to the status quo, she said.

“President Chen and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government must shoulder the full blame for.. these serious irresponsible actions,” she said.

“President Chen... goes against the mainstream of public opinion,” she said.

Cheng also accused Chen of stirring up antagonistic feelings between independence supporters and supporters of unification by making his announcement on the eve of an anniversary marking a 1947 massacre of local Taiwanese by mainland troops.

“(Chen’s) move will make the international community think we are trouble makers and we will not gain its sympathy,” Cheng said.

“Taiwan will face even more boycotts as a result,” she said.

She said the KMT had made preparations to recall Chen and had already negotiated the issue with other opposition parties.

Ma, who is also the popular mayor of Taipei, is widely viewed to be the opposition’s likely contender for presidential elections in two years time.

Cheng accused Chen of ignoring important social problems such as suicide, unemployment and corruption.

Ma also earlier told reporters Chen had misplaced priorities in stoking such a controversial issue when the nation faced many economic problems.

“The president has the wrong priority in setting his political agenda,” Ma said.

“The public hopes that the president will refocus on what he should do.

“If he insists on going down the controversial path, history will record it,” Ma said.

The NUC, set up by the former KMT administration in 1990, sets the stage for eventual unification with China. After taking office in 2000, Chen sidelined the NUC and did not convene any NUC meetings.

All three opposition parties — which together hold a majority in the legislature — are opposed to Chen’s move to scrap the government body.

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