DATE=3/17/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=TAIWAN ELECTION (L)
NUMBER=2-260276
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Candidates for Taiwan's presidency were on the
campaign trail Friday in a last-ditch attempt to woo
voters before Saturday's election. VOA correspondent
Roger Wilkison reports the three main contenders have
criss-crossed the island in recent days in an effort
to sway undecided voters.
TEXT: Before a ban on public opinion polls nine days
ago, surveys showed that the race among Lien Chan, of
the ruling Nationalist Party, Chen Shui-bian of the
Democratic Progressive Party and independent James
Soong was too close to call. But in recent days, Mr.
Chen has picked up endorsements from the country's
most respected scientist, several top businessmen and
two former advisors of Nationalist President Lee Teng-
hui. And the local news media now say he has pulled
ahead of his rivals.
Despite a hoarse voice and a driving rain, Mr. Chen
stood before a crowd of several thousand of his
supporters at a suburban Taipei construction site
Thursday night and exuded confidence that he would
win.
/////CHEN ACTUALITY (IN CHINESE) FOLLOWED BY
HORNBLOWING/////
As the crowd cheered, Mr. Chen promised an all-out war
on corruption and urged China to stop creating tension
in the Taiwan Strait. China has come down hard on Mr.
Chen, whom it views as an advocate of Taiwan
independence, and it has warned Taiwanese voters not
to choose him as their new president. Mr. Chen has
backed away from his former stance, but his party
platform still supports independence.
In another suburb, the Nationalists held a rally with
about 20-thousand supporters in attendance. Mostly
elderly people, they had been brought in by bus from
outlying areas and given a free meal consisting of a
sandwich, a cake and a soft drink. The crowd -which
waited for Mr. Lien to show up for more than an hour
and a half- sat passively until party cheerleaders
ordered firecrackers to be set off.
//act. of sound effects - firecrackers followed by
horns blowing//
That got a rise out of the faithful, but, for the most
part, it was a cheerless evening. Judging from the
lack of enthusiasm, the Nationalists have reason to
fear a loss of the power they have held for 51 years.
Independent candidate Soong -a former Nationalist
power broker who defected from the party when it chose
Mr. Lien as its standard-bearer- also was on the
hustings. He announced that several former ranking
Nationalist officials had come over to his side.
Although Mr. Soong was tarnished by scandal a few
weeks ago, his popularity, like Mr. Chen's, seems to
be on the rise again.
The campaign has been marked by name calling, negative
advertising and accusations of vote-buying. But all
the candidates pledge to keep Taiwan prosperous and
democratic, stamp out corruption and crime, and keep
China at arms length. (signed)
NEB/RW/PLM
17-Mar-2000 06:15 AM EDT (17-Mar-2000 1115 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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