The chairman of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party, Yu Shyi-kun, has vowed to push through a resolution to end the island's use of the Republic of China title in what could be the last throw of the dice before he steps down as the DPP leader. Analysts say the move represents Yu's attempt to save his own political life after being charged with corruption. It would also signify the start of a divided party if the Yu camp and its DPP rivals failed to come to terms over the controversial 'normal country resolution' Yu wanted to push through, they said. Yu was indicted by prosecutors on Friday for allegedly embezzling more than NT$2 million (HK$470,000) in special monthly allowances during his time as secretary general of the Presidential Office and premier between 2000 and 2005. Prosecutors also charged Taiwanese Vice-President Annette Lu Hsiu-lien and National Security Council secretary general Mark Chen Tan-sun with the same crimes. The indictment came while Yu was visiting Canada, from where he offered to resign in a statement issued through his secretary general, Lin Chia-lung, in Taipei. But an emotional Yu vowed on his return to Taipei on Monday that he would push through a motion to replace the island's ROC title with 'Taiwan'. Yu met President Chen Shui-bian yesterday to express his determination to push through the change in the island's official title and the institution of a Taiwan constitution during the DPP National Congress on Sunday. '[I] chiefly discussed with [Chen] about the 'normal country resolution', hoping it can be approved on September 30, and the president gave me his blessing,' he said. The DPP's central executive committee has approved a watered-down draft of the resolution to be reviewed and approved by the party congress on Sunday. Yu had reportedly come to terms with the camp of DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh Chang-ting to adopt the toned-down version of the resolution, which no longer insists that the island must change its title to 'Taiwan'. Taiwanese media said Yu was upset about the indictment, especially when rumours surfaced that he and Lu would become the party's scapegoats to keep Mr Hsieh and his running mate, former premier Su Tseng-chang, from being charged with the same crimes. Yu, who now has half of the 360 party delegates' support for his motion to introduce the change at the party congress, said he would remain as chairman until after the end of Sunday's meeting. But Mr Hsieh's camp cried foul, saying it was unprecedented for any DPP chairman to remain in office after announcing his resignation. They proposed that President Chen quickly replace Yu as chairman in line with the party charter which says the president can concurrently serve as the DPP chairman. Yu's supporters are expected to ask him to stay on as chairman during today's DPP central standing committee meeting.
