June 14, 2002

Mr. Lien Chan 

c/o Kuomintang Party
9th Floor, 11 Chung Shan South Rd
Taipei, Taiwan


Dear Mr. Lien:

We are disappointed by your performance last week at the International Democrat Union meeting in Washington D.C.

Although we realize that you were merely representing your own Kuomintang party, as a political leader of a country, one should not bring partisan politics to the international community.

Your criticism of your own country and its president in front of Republican Party officials and International Democrat Union members was uncalled for and does not benefit the respected reputation of Taiwan as one of the few democratic countries in the East Asia Pacific region.

You said: "The internal situation on each side is precarious at best, with one side in the throes of power transition and the other experiencing untoward decay." No U.S. Democratic or Republican Party official, or U.S. Member of Congress, would ever go to another country and say that the U.S. was "experiencing untoward decay."

Moreover, by saying that "the only way to defuse this crisis, short of foreign intervention, would be for the KMT to win the presidential election in 2004," you paint a very apocalyptic picture for Taiwan's future. Exploiting your own country's political and economic situation to market your own KMT party to the international community is just not done.

In 2000, President Chen Shui-bian was elected "of the people, for the people and by the people." And if the people of Taiwan through Taiwan's democratic process decide to reelect President Chen in 2004 again, this will be an expression of the will of the people. It might be a loss for you and for your
KMT party, but it will be a triumph for democracy.

Therefore, in the future, please resolve your political frustrations within the borders of your country. Campaign among your constituents rather than solicit among your international partners.

Sincerely,


Ming-chi Wu, Ph.D.
President, FAPA