Business leaders come out in support of Ma

John Hsuan (宣明智), honorary vice chairman of the United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), and a few other IT industry heavyweights, unveiled their move at a press conference in Taipei.

The move, initiated by Hsuan, expects to gather support from more than 50 business leaders from Taiwan's IT industry, and run an newspaper ad campaign tomorrow, the UMC guru said.

“Under the present circumstances, only by supporting the “1992 Consensus” can we feel safe in running our businesses,” a statement by the group read.

But the businessmen stressed that it is their personal move, which does not represent their companies' positions.

Many other business from other sectors, such as shipping magnate Chang Jung-fa from the Evergreen Group, have also declared support for the “1992 Consensus,” which they say is essential to maintaining stable cross-strait relations.

The business leaders have generally refrained from openly specifying their choice of candidate, but their call for recognition of the “1992 Consensus” is an obvious pledge of allegiance to the incumbent president.

Hsuan noted that although Chang and other business leaders have been “labeled” for openly supporting the “1992 Consensus,” he still thinks it necessary to let the nation clearly what kind of situation they are in.

The consensus is an understanding reached between Taipei and Beijing in 1992 allowing both sides to disagree on the meaning of “one China.”

Ma has been relying on the consensus to ease tensions across the strait since becoming president in 1998.

But his major rival, Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party, has refused to accept the “1992 Consensus,” which she claims never existed.

The statement from Hsuan's group noted that with the consensus business will be able to “continue to employ and take care of their workers and families.”

“If there is no business, there will be no employment,” it added.

Bough Lin, chairman of Siliconware Precision Industries Co. who supports Hsuan's move, told the Taipei press conference that he does not like to get involved in politics, but he is worried about the economy.

Lin said China is an important market to the world economy as well as Taiwan, and no one can afford to ignore it.

Taiwan's steady economic growth in recent years has attested to the importance of the “1992 Consensus,” Lin added.

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