2001 Year-End Elections
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Lee Says Vote to
Stabilize Politics
(Taipei Times, Dec. 9, 2001) Former president Lee Teng-hui expressed his
satisfaction with the outcome of last weekend's elections, saying that the
results have stabilized Taiwan's politics because the public's will was
clearly revealed.
Taiwan Expects
Hardline from Beijing
(Taipei Times, Dec. 6, 2001) Officials say China's terse interpretation of
the results of Saturday's election leaves little hope for any breakthroughs
in cross-strait relations. However, in their response to China's reaction,
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), urged China
once again to set aside political differences and resume cross-strait
dialogue.
China Warns Taiwan:
'We're Watching'
(CNN.com, Dec. 5, 2001) In its first official reaction to Taiwan's
parliamentary election held last Saturday, China has warned the island's
ruling Democratic Progressive Party not to move toward declaring statehood.
"We will pay a lot of attention to the direction of Taiwan's policies
toward the mainland in the wake of the election."
China Cool But
Firm over Taiwan Election Result
(Reuters, Dec. 5, 2001) In the first official reaction to Saturday's poll, a
spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said he did not
expect the result to affect China-Taiwan relations as most Taiwanese still
backed reunification with the mainland.
Cross-Strait Trade
Normalization Remains on Track: MAC Head
(China Times, Dec. 4, 2001) The government's ongoing efforts to promote the
normalization of cross-strait trade relations have not changed with the
recent legislative election, the chairperson of the MAC, Tsai Ing-wen, said.
Push for Autonomy
after Taiwan Poll
(Financial Times, Dec. 3, 2001) After a legislative election that underlined
his enduring political influence, Lee Teng-hui, former Taiwan president,
launched a policy group intended to push his agenda of Taiwanese autonomy and
support for his successor, Chen Shui-bian.
Chen Makes Fresh
Appeal to Mainland
(AP, Dec. 3, 2001) Bolstered by a weekend election victory, Taiwan's leader
on Monday urged rival China to stop ignoring his government and help him
improve relations between the rivals that split amid civil war five decades
ago.
Policy toward
Mainland China Will Not Change, MAC Says
(China Post, Dec. 3, 2001)Taiwan's policy toward mainland China will not
undergo any drastic changes after Saturday's parliamentary elections, which
saw a landslide win for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), a
senior mainland policy planner said yesterday.
Taiwan President
Chen Breathes Easier After Vote
(Reuters, Dec. 3, 2001) Unexpected election gains for Taiwan's Democratic
Progressive Party will make life easier for President Chen Shui-bian
domestically, but he is likely to find it even harder to make progress in
relations with an uneasy China, analysts said.
Taiwan Election
Reshapes Political Landscape
(Financial Times, Dec. 2, 2001) Taiwan has entered a new political era with
an election that broke the Nationalist party's 52-year hold on the island's
legislature and gave the one-time dissidents of the Democratic Progressive
party unprecedented parliamentary clout with which to forge a ruling
coalition.
Kuomintang Declines to
Join Chen's Alliance
(AP, Dec. 2, 2001) Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Nationalist Party
turned down President Chen Shui-bian's invitation to join an alliance
designed to end severe gridlock, a party spokesman said, one day after the
Nationalists lost their five-decade control of Taiwan's legislature.
U.S.
Coordinator Says Taiwan Fallout Uncertain
(Reuters, Dec. 1, 2001) The head of U.S. relations with Taiwan played down
fears that big election gains made on Saturday by President Chen Shui-bian's
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) might move the island closer to a formal
declaration of independence from China.
Taiwan's
Nationalists Swept From Power in Taiwan
(Reuters, Dec. 1, 2001) Taiwan's Nationalist Party was swept from its last
political stronghold in elections that transformed the DPP into the largest
group in parliament. The landslide defeat for the Nationalists, which held a
majority in the outgoing legislature, is sure to alarm Beijing, which will
see it emboldening the DPP to move Taiwan further toward independence.
Taiwan President's
Party Declares Victory
(CNN, Dec. 1, 2001) The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of Taiwan
President Chen Shui-bian has declared victory in the island's legislative
elections, ending five decades of control by the Kuomintang, or Nationalist
Party.
Lee Says 'R.O.C.'
Title No Longer Exists
(Taiwan News, Nov. 30, 2001) Former President Lee Teng-hui put in a
last-minute effort to stump for the Taiwan Solidarity Union, saying that
safeguarding Taiwan's sovereignty is the nation's utmost responsibility and
that the name of the "Republic of China" does not exist any longer.
Campaigning
Heats Up on Eve of Taiwan Polls
(Reuters, Nov. 30, 2001) Taiwan candidates pulled out all the stops Friday on
the eve of general elections that are expected to strip the once-formidable
Nationalist Party of its parliamentary majority for the first time.
Saturday's elections are expected to lead to a political realignment and a
deepening crisis for the once-formidable Nationalists.
Taiwan's Chen
Offers Olive Branch
(CNN.com, Nov. 29, 2001) Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian is striking left and
right in a last bid to win votes for his embattled Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP). With two days left before parliamentary and local-government
elections, Chen is sending olive branches to the opposition parties, saying
they would be included in a non-partisan National Stability Union cabinet to
be set up after the polls.
Beijing Prepares
for Taiwan Polls
(CNN.com, Nov. 28, 2001) Beijing is readying plans to blunt separatist
sentiments in Taiwan in case pro-independence forces do well in Saturday's
parliamentary polls. A Chinese source in Beijing said President Jiang Zemin
and his aides on Taiwan policy had prepared different reactions to various
possible outcomes.
Lee to Head 'Taiwan
Advocates'
(Taiwan News, Nov. 28, 2001) A group of Taiwanese elites will form an
"elite strategic alliance" that will combine thoughts with actions,
after December's election, former president Lee Teng-hui said yesterday. The
aim of the group will be to assist the central government in calming the
current political turbulence and to secure the Taiwanese people's dignity and
interests, Lee said.
Beijing Relaxed
About Taiwan Vote
(Reuters, Nov. 26, 2001) China is taking a fairly relaxed view of Taiwan's
parliamentary elections, confident the outcome will be more of the legislative
gridlock that has stymied President Chen Shui-bian, top Chinese scholars say.
Chen Elaborates on His
`National Stability' Plan
(TT, Nov. 25, 2001) President Chen Shui-bian repeated his suggestion that
forming a "cross-party alliance for national stability" was meant
to share power with opposition parties, saying he would personally visit
party leaders and politicians to persuade them to support the plan.
Opposition Refute
CNN Claim Mainland Backing KMT, PFP
(CNA, Nov. 23, 2001) Both of Taiwan's two major opposition parties refuted a
report carried on Cable News Network's (CNN's) Web site claiming that
mainland China has quietly thrown its support behind them ahead of the
island's Dec. 1 elections.
Opposition Snubs
Chen's Cross-Party Alliance Plan
(Taiwan Headlines, Nov. 23, 2001) Major opposition parties turned a cold
shoulder Thursday to President Chen Shui-bian's latest proposal to form a
cross-party alliance after the December 1 elections to maintain domestic
political stability.
Chen Calls for
National Stabilization Alliance
(Commercial Times, Nov. 22, 2001) President Chen Shui-bian revealed that
between election day and the convening of the new Legislature, he will call
upon individuals, legislators and political parties to form a "national
stabilization alliance," to work together to promote four major topics:
reform of the Legislative Yuan, national security, social welfare, and
revitalization of the economy.
Taiwan Eyes
Post-Election Political Realignment
(Reuters, Nov. 18, 2001) With parliamentary polls just two weeks away, calls
have surfaced for Taiwan's main opposition Nationalist Party to merge with
two splinter parties in a post-election political realignment to help its
chances of recapturing the presidency in 2004.
Taiwanese
Candidates Tighten Belts as Economy Bites
(Reuters, Nov. 16, 2001) Taiwan's battered economy has dampened campaign
spending ahead of the December 1 parliamentary and mayoral elections as
candidates struggle to raise money from enterprises or supporters. "The
election climate is the coldest ever."
Survey Says
Taiwan Leader's Party Most Popular
(Reuters, Nov. 2, 2001) With less than a month to go before Taiwan's
parliamentary elections, a survey showed President Chen Shui-bian's party in
the lead but about a quarter of respondents were still undecided. 22 percent
of 814 eligible voters would vote for parliamentary candidates of Chen's
Democratic Progressive Party in the December 1 elections.
Taiwan's Chen
Shui-bian Tests Coalition Waters
(Reuters, Oct. 31, 2001) President Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP) floated the idea of entering into a post-election political
partnership with one of the island's opposition parties to break a
legislative gridlock. Chen is keen to break up a Nationalist-led opposition
alliance, which dominates the current legislature and has blocked his
initiatives at almost every turn since he took office in May 2000.
Opposition Takes Aim
at Chen over APEC Absence
(Taipei Times, Oct. 21, 2001) The KMT and
People First Party yesterday criticized the DPP for taking advantage of
Taiwan's absence from the APEC summit as a tactic to boost its election
campaign, at the expense of national interests.
Taiwan Kicks Off
Election Season as Ties with China Eyed
(Reuters, Oct. 7, 2001) Taiwan
officially entered election season on Sunday, with candidates registering for
pivotal year-end polls, seen as a barometer of future ties with China. The
crucial elections, the first since President Chen Shui-bian ended 55 years of
one-party rule last year, could redraw the island's political landscape and
chart the future course for touchy ties with China.
Scholar Sees
Difficulties in Taiwan's Inter-Party Merger
(China Post, Dec. 9, 2001) It's no easy task for Taiwan's major political
parties to merge among themselves under the current electoral system, a
scholar said Saturday at a seminar on the island's political trends in the
wake of the legislative elections.
After Taiwan
Election, Chill Persists By Mark Landler
(New York Times, Dec. 8, 2001) When President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan won a
landslide victory in legislative elections last weekend, his supporters said
it would finally force China to pay heed to their leader. After all, Beijing
has plenty of reasons to be alarmed.
DPP Needs to Heal
Ethnic Divisions By Wang Jenn-hwan
(Taipei Times, Dec. 8, 2001) Ethnic mobilization manifested itself in last
year's presidential election as well as Saturday's elections: the DPP-ruled
southern Taiwan against the KMT-ruled central and northern Taiwan. During
campaigns, the DPP turned cross-strait relations into an ethnic conflict,
while marginalizing economic issues that affect people's livelihoods.
Beijing Keeps its
Blinders On
(Editorial, Taipei Times, Dec. 6, 2001) After four days of silence, Beijing
finally commented Wednesday on the outcome of Saturday's elections. The
remarks from Zhang Mingqing, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of
China's State Council, have shown once again that politicians raised in a
communist system do not understand democracy.
Taiwan Is Fine on
Its Own
(Editorial, LA Times, Dec. 5, 2001) China is already being pressured internally to reassess its
Taiwan policy, and economic links are inexorably drawing the two together.
This is no time for the United States to rock the boat. It is Beijing, after
all, that has to fear the example of Taiwanese democracy.
Taiwan Polls Dash
Beijing's Unification Hope By Ching Cheong
(Straits Times, Dec. 4, 2001) Failure of economic integration tactic means
China will have to come up with new plans on unification, say analysts.
Public opinion polls in Taiwan indicated that Taiwanese support for 'one
country two systems' is consistently on the rise.
Mainland 'Willing
to be Patient on Taipei'
(South China Morning Post, Dec. 4, 2001) Beijing is unlikely to dramatically
adjust its policies towards Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian and his
Government. But some Beijing scholars
said a debate was raging among analysts whether Chinese leaders should
rethink their long-term strategy in view of Mr Chen's growing influence.
And the Winner Is? Lee
Teng-hui By Ralph A. Cossa
(PacNet, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Dec. 3, 2001) The odds of a DPP/TSU coalition
seem high, with the resulting 100 seats proving a solid base from which
President Chen and the DPP can "flex our strength," according to one
senior DPP official. The big question will be how much influence Lee will
command behind the scenes and how this will impact cross-Strait relations.
Learning to
Live with Chen
(Economist, Dec. 3, 2001) China's tolerant attitude to Taiwan is striking,
given its generally tougher stance since September 11th towards what it
regards as separatist challenges, particularly in its far-western region of
Xinjiang. As far as Taiwan is concerned, however, China seems to have
concluded that its interests are best served by remaining aloof.
Campaign
Strategies Set New Alliances
(China Post, Dec. 3, 2001) The 2001 local-level government elections put the
ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Kuomintang (KMT), the
largest opposition party, on an equal footing of nine seats each. But the
elections lend new impetus to the formation of two major political alliances
in future political contests in Taiwan.
Vote Favors
Independent Taiwan By Philip P.
Pan
(Washington Post, Dec. 2, 2001) A political party that favors Taiwan's
independence won the largest number of seats in the legislature for the first
time when millions of voters cast ballots today for allies of President Chen
Shui-bian, despite an ailing economy and China's efforts to discredit him.
Analysis: Taiwan's
Political Shake-Up By Damian Grammaticus
(BBC, Dec. 2, 2001) This is an election defeat of stunning proportions for
Taiwan's Kuomintang Party. Even the most dire predictions had not forecast a
result this bad for the KMT. "I think we will be doing a deep and
thorough examination of our mistakes," said the KMT's chairman. But
people will be asking why such an examination was not done a year ago. Lien
Chan's position must now be threatened.
Nationalists Are
Routed in Taiwan Legislative Election By Mark
Landler
(NYT, Dec. 2, 2001) Taiwan's Nationalist Party was routed in legislative
elections on the island, completing a political fall from grace that began
when it lost the presidency last year. It was a resounding victory for Mr.
Chen, who made history last year by leading the opposition party into the
presidency. But it was an even more resounding defeat for the Nationalists.
Mission Possible for
Chen By Susanne Ganz
(Kyodo News, Nov. 30, 2001) It should be easier for Chen to form a majority
government than directly after assuming the presidency, in particular if he
manages to lure into his camp individual lawmakers from the KMT who are
unhappy with party leader Lien Chan's neoconservative course.
Taiwan's Electoral
System Under Fire By Goh Sui Noi
(Straits Times, Nov. 29, 2001) A candidate can get elected with as little as
3 per cent of the vote under Taiwan's special electoral system that has been
criticised for breeding corruption and factionalism and producing lawmakers
who appeal to minority interests. With multi-member wards and single,
non-transferable votes, candidates need not appeal to the majority of voters
in a constituency in order to win.
Taiwan Warhorse
Charges Back for One Last Battle
(Reuters, Nov. 29, 2001) He famously stood up to mainland
Chinese missiles, so the eggs and red ink hurled at former President Lee
Teng-hui these days hardly bother him at all. What dismays the former
President Lee is the way the island, in his view at least, has lost its
stomach for the fight with mainland China.
Economy's
Direction in the Hands of Electorate By Dennis
Engbarth
(South China Morning Post, Nov. 28, 2001) Ordinarily, voters would punish a
government facing data such as that in Taiwan. But widespread resentment over
the obstructionism of the KMT-led opposition alliance and the failure of the
KMT and its conservative allies to present a convincing strategy for Taiwan's
future have allowed Mr Chen and the DPP to seize the initiative.
Taiwan's Party
Politics By Michael Bristow
(BBC, Nov. 27, 2001) The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the
former powerful Kuomintang (KMT) will be the two main parties fighting it out
in elections for Taiwan's parliament - the Legislative Yuan - and for city
mayors and county chiefs. But with analysts expecting no clear winner in the
225-seat parliament.
Post-Election
Taiwan-China Ties Bleak
(AFP, Nov. 27, 2001) Prospects for Taiwan's ties with China will remain bleak
regardless of this weekend's parliamentary election results as long as President
Chen Shui-bian clings to his pro-independence stance, analysts say.
Taiwan Polls
Spotlight Weighty Matters By Willy Wo-Lap Lam
(CNN.com, Nov. 26, 2001) War versus peace. Economics versus politics. Native
Taiwanese versus mainlanders. These are some of the weighty matters that will
be decided at the Taiwan polls on December 1, the first election since Chen
Shui-bian became president in March 2001.
No Majority Is in
Sight as Elections Bring Uncertainty
(AFP, Nov. 26, 2001) The country is facing a new era of political uncertainty
with no party expected to win a majority in the upcoming legislative
elections. Like last year's presidential polls, which saw the KMT's 51-year
grip on power end, the Dec. 1 elections could be a mixed blessing.
In Taiwan a Discouraging
Election Campaign Notable for Its Nastiness By Mark
Landler
(New York Times, Nov. 25, 2001) By any conventional political yardstick,
President Chen Shui-bian ought to be in deep trouble. Yet as voters here
prepare for a legislative election on Saturday, Mr. Chen's allies say the
opposition is in such disarray that he may actually emerge in a marginally
stronger position.
December Vote May
Not Alter Political Conflict Much
(Editorial, China Post, Nov. 21, 2001) There is a high degree of uncertainty about whether such a
divided Legislature will enable Chen build a parliamentary majority, a
success that would enable him to gain control of the lawmaking body and,
moreover, set up a ruling coalition needed to improve the legitimacy of his
DPP-led minority government.
Shifting Alliances
Shape Taiwan Status By Willy Wo-Lap Lam
(CNN.com, Nov. 20, 2001) The Chinese leadership has adopted a multi-pronged
strategy to ensure that it will benefit from upcoming parliamentary elections
in Taiwan. Beijing's best-case scenario is that the pro-independence
Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) tenuous grip on the Legislative Yuan
will slip further.
Taiwan's Stars Vie
for Votes By Helen Leavey
(BBC, Nov. 20, 2001) Sisy Chen is familiar to many in Taiwan as the host of
popular TV talkshow Big Little Sister Sisy. But Ms Sisy is not just a TV
celebrity. The former spokeswoman for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party
(DPP) is standing as an independent legislative candidate in Taipei in
Taiwan's 1 December elections.
Dec. 1 Elections: Vote
to Shape Political Landscape By Crystal Hsu
(Taipei Times, Nov. 18, 2001) The Dec. 1 elections for the legislature are
expected to shape the formation of a coalition government, realign major
political parties and offer a foretaste of the 2004 presidential race. Polls
have the DPP and KMT neck and neck. A coalition of either with the expected
third-place PFP could determine where power will lie.
Taiwan's Key
Election Issues By Michael Bristow
(BBC, Nov. 16, 2001) The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the
former powerful Kuomintang (KMT) are the two main parties contesting the
elections. However, 10 smaller parties, including the People First Party and
the Taiwan Solidarity Union, could play a crucial role if, as is possible,
there is no clear winner.
Deja Vu Feel to
Taiwan's Election Campaigning By Goh Sui Noi
(Straits Times, Nov. 11, 201) The figures who hogged TV and other news
coverage of the hustings for the Dec 1 legislative, county and city chiefs
elections were not the candidates themselves, but last year's three main
candidates plus one - whom the media here dubbed as the four heavenly kings .
'1992 Consensus'
Becoming a Heated Campaign Issue
(Taipei Times, Nov. 5, 2001) There is now less than a month to go before the
legislative and local government elections and campaigning has gone into
overdrive. While the DPP and the KMT are concentrating on domestic policy
issues, the TSU is trying hard to make itself look less like a one-man show
while the PFP is focusing on cross-strait relations
Taiwan
President's Book Stirs Controversy By Alice Hung
(Reuters, Nov. 3, 2001) A new book launched by Taiwan President Chen
Shui-bian on Saturday is stirring controversy, drawing fire from the
opposition and being seen as a bid to win votes for his own party ahead of
December elections.
Chen Says Taiwan
Moving Towards Presidential System
(China Post, Nov. 2, 2001) Defying an opposition camp claim that the ROC
constitution provides for a dual-leadership system, President Chen Shui-bian
insists that after several rounds of amendments to constitutional provisions
the nation is moving towards a presidential system.
Ex-President Steps
Up Anti-KMT Tirade
(China Post, Oct. 13, 2001) Retired president Lee Teng-hui stepped up his
tirade against the Kuomintang, asking voters not to give the former ruling
party any chance to come back to power. The upcoming legislative elections
will decide stability of Taiwan for the next five decades, hence Taiwan
should never fall into hands of the "alien power," said Lee, who
was expelled by the KMT weeks ago.
KMT Accuses Lee
Teng-hui of Betrayal
(Straits Times, Oct. 9, 2001) In a strongly worded open letter to its
members, the Kuomintang (KMT) explained why it had expelled Mr Lee - the
party's chairman for 12 years until it lost the presidential election last
year.
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