DATE=3/14/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=TAIWAN ELECTION SCENESETTER
NUMBER=5-45638
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Taiwan is in the final stages of a
presidential campaign that culminates Saturday and has
been dominated by threats from China. V-O-A
Correspondent Roger Wilkison reports that -- even
though polls last week showed the three main
candidates running neck-and-neck -- opposition
standard-bearer Chen Shui-bian appears to be building
enough momentum to pull ahead of his rivals.
TEXT: Mr. Chen's campaign has received a boost over
the past few days as he picked up endorsements from
Taiwan's most distinguished intellectual, the chairmen
of two of the island's biggest companies and a
national security advisor to incumbent President Lee
Teng-hui. The free-wheeling Taiwanese news media say
that support, plus huge crowds at Mr. Chen's rallies,
is wooing many undecided voters to the cause of the
48-year-old attorney and former mayor of Taipei.
Polls published before a ban last week showed Mr.
Chen, Nationalist Party candidate Lien Chan and
independent contender James Soong tied in a three-way
horse race, with about a quarter of the vote apiece.
But the news media say that -- since then -- the
percentage of undecided voters has declined from 25
percent to about 10 percent and that most of them have
opted for Mr. Chen.
The Nationalists -- who have governed Taiwan for 51
years -- accuse Mr Chen -- a former pro-independence
firebrand -- of espousing policies that could provoke
an attack by China. Mr. Chen has backed away from his
pro-independence stand, although the platform of his
Democratic Progressive Party still champions eventual
independence for the island.
In recent weeks, China -- which considers Taiwan a
rebel province -- has warned the island risks attack
if it moves toward independence or drags its feet
indefinitely on entering reunification talks.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister C-J Chen -- who is not
related to Chen Shui-bian -- dismisses the impact of
those threats on the island's nearly 15 million
voters.
/////CHEN ACTUALITY/////
I can't say there will be no impact at all, but I
think the impact could be very small, because -- after
all -- our voters are very confident of themselves and
very confident of their own choice.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
China's hardline generals have made it clear through
editorials in the army newspaper they consider Chen
Shui-bian dangerous because of his pro-independence
past. But Mr. Chen's foreign policy advisor --
Senator Parris Chang -- says the belligerent tone
emanating from Beijing may have boosted his
candidate's fortunes.
/////CHANG ACTUALITY/////
P-R-C saber-rattling didn't adversely affect Mr. Chen
Shui-bian's candidacy. In fact, it may have helped.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
The ruling Nationalist Party -- one of the richest
political parties in the world -- has become
increasingly nervous about losing its hold on power
and has stepped up its attacks on Mr. Chen and also on
Mr. Soong, a former Nationalist power-broker.
A record plunge on Taiwan's stock market Monday led
Mr. Lien -- currently Taiwan's vice president -- to
say the drop was just an example of what might happen
should the opposition win on Saturday. Mr. Lien's
rivals accuse the Nationalists of manipulating the
market.
Szu-yin Ho -- the director of Taiwan's Institute of
International Relations -- says the K-M-T -- as the
Nationalist Party is also known, is powerful and rich
enough to influence the market.
/////HO ACTUALITY/////
I would say, through word of mouth, the KMT-through
its holding companies of stocks- can quite
effectively influence the performance of the stock
market.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
But the drop seems to have been short-lived. The
market recovered slightly Tuesday, after the
government intervened by buying shares in an effort to
shore it up. Analysts say they expect the market to
be volatile throughout the week as the campaign moves
toward its conclusion. (signed)
NEB/RW/WD
14-Mar-2000 06:52 AM EDT (14-Mar-2000 1152 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
