離開
進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Tsai attends ceremony; refuses to sing some words
Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） Chairman Eric Chu, left, and People First Party Chairman and presidential candidate James Soong, right, watch as KMT presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu and Democratic Progressive Party chairperson and presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen, second and third left, shake hands at the official National Day ceremony in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
By Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter
The final Double Ten National Day ceremony of President Ma Ying-jeou’s （馬英九） time in office yesterday saw the attendance of the Democratic Progressive Party’s （DPP） Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen（蔡英文） for the first time in the past seven years; but Tsai, also the DPP’s presidential candidate, skipped a few words when singing the Republic of China （ROC） national anthem.
The ceremony saw leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, including Tsai and People First Party Chairman James Soong （宋楚瑜）, sitting next to each other.
Not only was Tsai’s appearance considered a focal point, Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） Chairman Eric Chu’s （朱立倫） interaction with KMT presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu （洪秀柱）, who is widely expected to be replaced, was also expected to draw attention.
Tsai said before the event that the nation is facing internal and external difficulties.
“The nation should stand together. The opposition party’s attendance at the Double Ten National Day ceremony should not be an issue any more,” she said, adding that democracy is an asset that needs to be safeguarded by all.
Tsai led a group of 23 DPP mayors, county commissioners, legislators and others holding public office.
The DPP members’ attendance at the ROC ceremony has always been contentious, considering the party’s pro-independence stance.
When singing the ROC anthem, Tsai kept her month shut on a few words, as the national anthem is also the KMT’s party anthem, with the lyrics including the phrase — “our party,” which Tsai omitted.
Tsai also did not applaud with the audience and Chu sitting next to her when Ma touted the “most stable cross-strait relations in 66 years” based on the so-called “1992 consensus” and called on the next president to adhere to the ROC Constitution, on which he said the “1992 consensus” is based.
The “1992 consensus” refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese government that both sides acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
The event was the first public setting at which Chu and Hung met face to face since the KMT’s Central Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday, at which an extraordinary party congress was mooted to determine the fate of Hung as the party’s presidential candidate.
The two were said to have exchanged telephone messages since, but had not met until yesterday.
Hung said before the ceremony that she would not feel “awkward” upon seeing Chu, adding that “surely I would say hello to Tsai; it is not like we are enemies.”
Hung was prearranged to sit directly behind Chu on the stage, who later said it was hard for him to “turn and talk to her” after reports said the interaction between the duo was “rather cold.”
Chu and Tsai, on the other hand, had what the media called “warm exchanges.”
The two party leaders sat right next to each other and were seen conversing from time to time.
Chu said after the event that he and Tsai talked about “hope for better interaction between the ruling and opposition parties” and the enhancement of the “democracy of our generation.”
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
