Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) leader Ma Ying-jeou will make a move
to recall President Chen Shui-bian, Ma's spokeswoman said
yesterday, following Chen's announcement that a council for
charting unification with the mainland will be scrapped.
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.
In a news conference in the legislature before Chen made the
announcement, the KMT, People First Party (PFP) and Non-Partisan
Solidarity Union (NPSU) whips said they could take drastic steps --
such as boycotting the legislature, calling for a referendum on
whether to abolish the guidelines, organizing national protests and
pushing for a recall of the president.
KMT lawmaker Tseng Yung-chuan, the director of the KMT Policy
Coordination Committee, said Premier Su Tseng-chang needed to brief
the legislature on his administration's major policies, including
scrapping the NUC.
"The premier should be accountable to the legislature," Tseng
said.
PFP whip Lee Hung-chun said he thought Su, who is viewed to be a
likely DPP presidential contender in the 2008 election, was trying
to keep away from the controversy.
"Su needs to take responsibility for government decisions," Lee
said.
The NPSU also condemned Chen scrapping the NUC.
"The president is plunging the country and its people into danger
by doing away with the guidelines, angering Beijing for his
personal political purposes," said NPSU law maker Kao Chin
Su-mei.
Recalling the president involves strict legal procedures and
requires the approval of over two thirds of the legislature.
KMT officials said even an unsuccessful recall could tarnish Chen's
reputation. The move would make Chen Taiwan's first president to be
targeted by a recall motion.
