Independent presidential candidate James Soong (
Before reaching such a consensus, however, Soong said he would ask his vice president, Chang Chao-hsiung
Soong also said he would not rule out the possibility of sending a member of the DPP to China as a cross-strait envoy.
Soong said he would be willing to visit the US, Japan and ASEAN countries as president-elect before the May 20 inaugural ceremony.
"The future leader of Taiwan is not only responsible for the well-being and security of the people of Taiwan, he also has international obligations to maintain peace and stability in the region," Soong said.
"After I am elected president of the Republic of China, I will not only be the favored leader here but also a favored leader of the region," he added.
Soong said the Taiwan Strait has been pegged as "the most likely hot spot for war," but that "politics is the art of the possible."
"While the political dispute cannot be settled at once, I would like to use cultural and economic approaches to promote a friendly atmosphere, in the hopes of pushing through a 30- to 50-year peace accord under the auspices of international witnesses," he said.
Soong has said he would, under the auspices of the international community, push for the signing of a 30-year peace agreement to bring security to the Strait.
Soong also took the opportunity to launch a verbal attack against President Lee Teng-hui's
"It couldn't be more obvious that Lee's formula is not welcomed by the international community," Soong said.
"As a state leader, while he struggled to ensure national security and the people's dignity, he also had to strike a balance between maintaining sovereignty and avoiding an unnecessary armed conflict with China," Soong said.
Despite the fact that both the KMT's Lien Chan
"If China refuses to respect the dignity of the Taiwanese, I would not visit China if I am elected. If Taiwan's people fail to iron out their differences, what subject can we talk to the Chinese about?" he said.
Soong then turned his attention to the president of the Academia Sinica, Lee Yuan-tseh
Lee has offered to act as a cross-strait envoy if Chen is elected.
"Everybody knows that when strong acid meets with a strong base, it will have a strong reaction. Lee himself is a prominent chemist, so he should understand such logic," Soong said.
Soong also said that his national affairs conference would determine the nature of the message that was to be conveyed across the Strait.
"I would not deny the possibility of sending DPP or independent representatives to negotiate with China," Soong added.
Soong also said the current "dump-save" effort indicated that the KMT's presidential candidate has been rejected by most voters.
"The so-called `dump-save' tactic resulting from Lee Yuan-tseh's endorsement of Chen was a feeble attempt to push me out, since Lien's popularity rating has never been over 20 percent," Soong said.
He said that he remains confident of victory.
Meanwhile, in a related development, KMT legislator Chin Hui-chu
Chin's endorsement appeared to come as no surprise to KMT headquarters, since Chin had been included in a party "blacklist" and was waiting to be expelled from the party over suspicions of supporting Soong.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old