Taiwan vote comes in shadow of China

December 1, 1995
Web posted at: 11:30 p.m. EST (0430 GMT)

From Correspondent Andrea Koppel

TAIPEI, Taiwan (CNN) -- A scant eight years ago, Taiwan was under martial law. But on Saturday, voters there go to the polls to elect the island's highest legislative body. And the ruling Kuo Min Tang (KMT) Party -- the Nationalist Party -- faces the real possibility of losing its majority for the first time in five decades.

KMT favors eventual reunification with mainland China, which still considers Taiwan to be a renegade province. The rival Democratic Progressive Party wants a national vote on declaring independence from the mainland.

Democratic Progressive candidates such as Chai Trong, from the southern city of Chiayi, are leading the charge for the independence vote. "China has tried to squeeze Taiwan in the international community," he said. (94K AIFF sound or 94K WAV sound)

On the other side in Chiayi, a city of average working people, mostly ethnic Taiwanese, is KMT candidate Vincent Siew. A three-time cabinet member who has hobnobbed with leaders around the world, Sieuw is reluctantly doing something he's never done before: grass-roots hand shaking and baby kissing for the Chiayi seat.

"As far as my career is concerned," he said, "I have no other choice. (68K AIFF sound or 68K WAV sound)

Many KMT candidates fear the prospect of a direct vote on Taiwanese independence would provoke the ire of Beijing, which has threatened an attack if Taiwan declares independence. The party is pulling out all the stops to win; even Taiwanese President Lee Ten-hui has joined in the campaign. But in light of last week's Chinese military activities off Taiwan's coast -- the third since President Lee's trip to the United States last June -- it is unclear how much help he can provide.

The activity has given a boost to the Democratic Progressive Party, and observers say this is the first time in the more than 40 years since Chiang Kai-shek and his nationalist troops lost the Chinese civil war and fled to Taiwan that voters will be going to the polls with China's reaction on their minds.

"The response by the missile exercises is a shock for ordinary people because that means China is very much frustrated by what we are doing here," said Andrew Yang of the Chinese Council of Advanced Studies.

Saturday's election will have 400 candidates from three parties competing for 164 legislative seats. Many frustrated former KMT members will be voting for the Democratic Progressives.

It's the loss of their votes that for the first time has the KMT frightened about losing its legislative majority. But even if that doesn't happen, it is clear that China will continue to influence Taiwanese politics whether the Taiwanese like it or not.

Taiwan vote comes in shadow of China

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