Hardliners brand pact as betrayal
Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian's cross-strait overtures appeared to have backfired yesterday, with pro-independence hardliners threatening to initiate a referendum to unseat him.
They were angered by a 10-point declaration by Mr Chen and opposition rival James Soong Chu-yu in which Mr Chen pledged not to change Taiwan's status quo and its official title, the Republic of China.
Mr Chen also pledged not to look into Taiwan's sovereign status, territory and national title before his term ends in 2008.
The agreement, seen as Mr Chen's attempt to seek co-operation with Mr Soong's People First Party (PFP) to break an opposition majority in the legislature, infuriated pro-independence hardliners, who criticised the president for betraying Democratic Progressive Party ideals.
Hundreds of phone calls flooded DPP headquarters yesterday, with angry supporters lashing out at Mr Chen.
'He [Chen] made a lot of promises to swing votes during elections. What he did hurt many Taiwanese people who can never compromise with the so-called 10-point declaration,' said pro-independence legislator Yin Ling-ying, of the Taiwan Solidarity Union.
'I will initiate a referendum to ask all those who recognise Taiwanese identity to recall him,' Ms Yin said in a legislature meeting.
Former president Lee Teng-hui also criticised Mr Chen for bowing to Mr Soong. 'He [Chen] thought he could bust the ghost, but he was busted by the ghost,' Mr Lee said, referring to the strained relations.
The backlash against Mr Soong was just as bad. Opposition supporters flooded the PFP headquarters with phone calls condemning his co-operation with Mr Chen.
In Beijing, Li Weiyi of the Taiwan Affairs Office said: 'We will make comments after gaining a comprehensive understanding of the [Chen-Soong] meeting.'
