Hsieh to run for president in 2008 poll

Finally out of Chen Shui-bian’s shadow, the former premier chose to take a trip away from Taiwan yesterday, leaving his lieutenants to make an informal announcement of the start of the drive to run for president.

But before he left for Tokyo, Hsieh met the Japanese press corps in Taipei Wednesday to speak about possibilities of his succeeding President Chen.

Hsieh, who holds a master’s degree from Kyoto University, told Japanese correspondents “intraparty readjustments are necessary” but “possibilities exist” that he would join the race two years from now.

After a brief stay in Tokyo, Hsieh will proceed to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to attend a one-month course at Harvard University.

His top lieutenant, Li Chun-yi, told a press conference in Taipei the ex-premier, fired after a spat with President Chen over China policy, is best positioned to contend for the top office of the nation.

“It’s no secret that he will run for president,” Li announced. “The whole world knows it.”

All Hsieh has to do now is to get into closer contact with the grassroots and broaden his power base, said Li, head of the DPP Welfare State faction the former premier had founded.

That is the reason why another lieutenant, Kuan Pih-ling, does not want Hsieh to get closer to President Chen as his secretary-general.

Chen Tang Sun, former minister of foreign affairs, got the job after Hsieh declined the offer.

“Anyone who has a loftier ambition has to listen more attentively to the voice of the people,” the lady lawmaker said.

Please see HSIEH on page

Another lady legislator, Hsieh Hsin-ni, presented her former faction leader as the “ideal national leader.”

Before he had been appointed to form the Cabinet, Hsieh was mayor of Kaohsiung from 1998 to 2005. He ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 1996 as the running mate of Peng Ming-min. Before the bid, Hsieh served as a member of the Legislative Yuan from 1989 to 1995.

Born in Taipei in 1946, Hsieh was graduated from prestigious National Taiwan University with a law degree in 1967 and served as a city councilor from 1981 to 1988.

Few in the ruling DPP can match him in academic and political credentials.

Just as he told the Japanese press, Hsieh needs only “intraparty readjustments” to pave the way for his presidential campaign.

They have set up campaign offices across Taiwan, manned by young supporters. Known as Chang Kung (Long Work) offices, they are financed by the New Culture Association, a group of rich business executives.

Pasuya Yao, former director-general of the Government Information Office, commands the young campaign office staff.

Chang, incidentally, is the first of Hsieh’s two-character Chinese given name. He is named Chang-ting.

DPP leaders want Hsieh to run for mayor of Taipei at the end of this year. Hsieh is a favorite son, better qualified than Chen Shui-bian, born in a Tainan village, when he ran for mayor and won in 1994.

Moreover, the ruling party is having a hard time fielding an electable candidate for the yearend race.

Pressure is mounting on Hsieh, who may be drafted, and that probably explained why he is making his U.S. tour.

All top aides are against Hsieh running for the mayoralty. For one thing, if elected, he would forfeit the chance to run in 2008.

Besides, they believe, a loss would end Hsieh’s political career.

It takes two years for Hsieh to get to his goal. The chances are that he could, given another top contender, Premier Su Tseng-chang, has to stay within the tight leash of an increasingly unpopular President Chen.

By ending the National Unification Council, President Chen has succeeded in consolidating his political power after he steps down. But the success came at the expense of his popularity, which has dropped to a mere 20 percent.

Chen’s support does not count much as a political asset to any DPP aspirant for presidency.

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