Chairman Lin Ping-kuen of the NSU said yesterday it was his brainchild to set up a think tank in cooperation with the PFP.

Lin said that the think tank will be headed by Chairman James Soong of the PFP, with the exact title having yet to be determined as chairman or convener.

“We just want Soong to contribute more to Taiwan’s politics through the new platform,” Lin said.

Also yesterday, Lawmaker Liu Wen-hsiung of the PFP said that the joint establishment of a think tank by the PFP and NSU won’t affect the formation of a political alliance between the Kuomintang (KMT) and PFP.

Liu said both sides have reached a consensus that the proposed think tank will not touch on any affairs concerning the election of lawmakers slated for late 2007, and will, instead, focus on policies and solutions to issues. “Accordingly, the fact that Soong will head the think tank doesn’t run counter to his earlier claim to quit politics,” Liu stressed.

Soong announced his withdrawal from the politics immediately after his serious setback in the Taipei mayoral race that ended Dec. 9.

In response, Chairman Ma Ying-jeou of the opposition KMT said that he believes Soong would have his own judgment on whether to head the proposed think tank.

Ma said as the KMT and the PFP are about to form a political alliance, it would be good development if Soong could continue to lead the PFP.

Meanwhile, Lawmaker Tsai Chin-long, convener of KMT’s legislative caucus, said that planned think tank to be jointly set up by the PFP and the NSU would not affect the formation of a political alliance between the KMT and the PFP.

“But it would be better for the KMT, PFP, NSU, and the New Party to jointly form a mega opposition alliance to effectively supervise the administration of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party,” Tsai stressed.

But in the eyes of lawmakers of the opposition Taiwan Solidarity Union, Soong’s plan to head the proposed think tank is designed to create a new political stage for himself, running counter to his earlier announcement to withdraw from the political arena.

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