Chen to lead candidates on Sept. 15 referendum march

Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng yesterday urged both major political parties in the nation to shelve their referendum initiatives on Taiwan’s bid for U.N. membership because they are detrimental to the long-term development of the nation.

But officials of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) announced that Chen will walk the entire distance of the march to be held at the DPP’s power base in southern Taiwan.

In addition to Chen, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung, DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh and vice presidential candidate Su Tseng-chang, as well as DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun, will all take to the streets that day to highlight their will to join the U.N. under the name of Taiwan.

According to the DPP plan, the march will also feature DPP Kaohsiung branch officials and legislative candidates.

They aim to mobilize all government agencies and civic groups to draw 500,000 participants from around Taiwan to the rally.

To counter the DPP’s election campaign, the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) has unveiled a separate referendum plan for regaining the nation’s U.N. membership under more flexible measures.

The KMT will also hold a rally on Sept. 15 in Taichung of central Taiwan.

Claiming that the U.N. initiatives have been put forward only as a means of boosting support for the respective parties in the 2008 legislative and presidential elections, parliament chief Wang suggested a shelving of the referendum initiatives and the rallies so as to “return to rationality.”

Wang said that both referendum initiatives are rash actions and should be put on hold “for further deliberations.”

He noted that the planned referendums have recently invited opposition from two U.S. senior officials, which he said “has done a lot of harm to Taiwan.”

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said last week that the United States is opposed to the U.N. referendum, and that it “is a mistake.”

He bluntly said that Washington sees the push for the U.N. seat as a step “toward a declaration of independence of Taiwan” and “toward an alteration of the status quo” concerning Taiwan and China.

Dennis Wilder, senior director for Asian affairs of the White House National Security Council, said on Aug. 30 that Washington does not support membership for Taiwan because statehood is a requirement for membership in the world body but “Taiwan, or the Republic of China, is not at this point a state in the international community.”

The officials’ statements drew rebukes from President Chen and DPP leaders.

A protest was staged against the Taipei office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).

Some scholars were concerned about anti-American sentiments in Taiwan society fanned by politicians.

Wang, a former KMT vice chairman, urged both parties to shelve their respective referendum initiatives simultaneously “for the sake of the interests of the nation.”

But he also acknowledged that neither the DPP nor the KMT would back down on the U.N. issue at this point.

It would be “futile” for him to make an effort to personally suggest either party put the referendum initiatives on hold except making a public call.

In response, KMT leaders suggested that Wang first dissuade the DPP from moving ahead with its referendum initiative because it was the DPP who starting using the U.N. issue for election purposes.

Wu Den-yih, KMT secretary general, said his party is willing to review the necessity of continuing push for the referendum if the DPP accepts Wang’s proposal.

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