20040217
=======
Debates on Feb. 17, 2004 ……
Pan-blues miss deadline for referendum debates
NO-SHOW OPPOSITION: The future of the scheduled TV debates on the two referendum topics was cast in doubt as the blue camp failed to present their lists of candidates
By Ko Shu-ling, STAFF REPORTER
The 10 referendum debates might not happen, as the opposition legislative caucuses failed to present their lists of potential debate candidates to the Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday.
Meanwhile, Premier Yu Shyi-kun approved five Cabinet officials and five experts to participate in the televised debates on the referendum, which is scheduled to be held concurrently with the presidential election on March 20.
The five candidates selected to debate the first question regarding China's missile forces are Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Vice Chairman Alexander Huang, Council of Hakka Affairs Chairwoman Yeh Chu-lan, former senior advisor to the National Security Council Shu Chin-chiang, senior advisor to the National Security Council Lin Cheng-yi and Holmes Liao, a professor at the National Defense University.
The five debaters chosen to discuss the negotiation question are Vice Chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council Chen Ming-tong, Straits Exchange Foundation Vice Chairman Shi Hwei-yow, visiting professor at Tamkang University Ruan Ming, Academia Sinica research fellow Joanne Chang and Byron Weng, a professor from National Chi Nan University's Department of Public Policy and Administration.
Yesterday was the deadline for the Cabinet and opposition parties to present their lists of potential candidates to the CEC, according to debate rules set by the CEC.
The Cabinet represents the party supporting the two questions of the referendum, while the opposition parties stand against them.
The CEC will hold 10 national debates between Feb. 20 and March 19 -- five debates on each of the two questions proposed by President Chen Shui-bian and approved by a Cabinet resolution.
CEC debate rules stipulate that debates will become mere presentations of opinions if no one participates to represent opposing views.
Authorized individuals or civic groups interested in playing the "opposition" side of the debate can also take part. They, however, have to file a list of candidates by Friday.
Cabinet Spokesman Lin Chia-lung yesterday made a last-minute call to the opposition camp to take part in the historic debates.
"While they claim they support the two referendum questions, they still have many questions regarding the referendum," Lin said. "I hope they come out to tell us what their concerns and worries are and make the debates more effective and meaningful."
Although the Referendum Law does not stipulate that debates need to be held for the referendum initiated by the president, Lin said that the Cabinet was more than willing to cooperate with the CEC.
"It'd be a shame if opposition lawmakers decide not to partake in the debates," Lin said.
Meanwhile, the Miaoli County Election Commission passed a resolution requesting the Cabinet separate the referendum and the presidential poll or simply stop the referendum altogether.
They also requested that the Control Yuan launch an immediate investigation into the referendum controversy to see whether any Cabinet official deserves impeachment.
In response, Lin called on local chapters of the CEC to cooperate with the Cabinet and the CEC to hold the nation's first national referendum.
"We don't understand why certain local chiefs and CEC chapters complicate and politicize the issue," Lin said. "We won't allow any deviation from the polling procedure set by the CEC."
Maioli County and Taipei City have been accused of devising ways to subvert the rules set by the CEC.
Citing elections held over the years, Lin said that it is not new to ask voters to cast three different ballots at one time.
"Over the past 27 years, there were four regional or national elections where voters cast three ballots at one time to elect regional heads and over 20 regional or national elections where voters cast two ballots," he said.
Lin made the remarks in response to questions filed by local pan-blue officials, who claimed it might cause a commotion if voters are to cast three ballots at one time.
-----------------------------------------
On Feb. 17, 2004 ……
Hong Kong reform talks `just show'
DEMOCRACY: According to newspapers in the special administrative region, China's government has ruled out direct elections for the next chief executive in 2007
REUTERS , HONG KONG
Beijing will not allow full democracy in Hong Kong in 2007 despite growing demands in the territory for universal suffrage and a constitution that leaves open such a possibility, Hong Kong newspapers said yesterday.
Talks between Hong Kong and Beijing on election reforms are just a show, and Beijing has already ruled out direct elections for the next chief executive in 2007, the South China Morning Post said, quoting a local source close to China's government.
The source, who was not identified, said Beijing would take a tougher position on Hong Kong if pro-democracy forces become the dominant power in the territory's top law-making body in elections in September and work against China-backed leaders. The source did not spell out what Beijing would do, but said it could develop its own plan to deal with the situation.
In 1997, Beijing established a provisional legislature and effectively dismantled electoral changes made by Britain in the waning years of colonial rule.
"According to my interpretation, they won't allow universal suffrage in 2007 unless they don't care about Hong Kong any more," said Raymond Wu, a Hong Kong deputy to the Chinese parliament, the National People's Congress.
Wu said recent opposition to the Hong Kong government's proposed anti-subversion law might have discouraged Beijing from allowing popular elections.
Half a million people poured into the streets last July to denounce attempts by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to push through the tough security bill, which critics feared would be used against anyone critical of China.
Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997 and both sides agreed that the former colony would enjoy a high degree of autonomy for 50 years.
Hong Kong's constitution allows the possibility of direct elections for chief executive and all of the Legislative Council from 2007. But it also says Beijing must approve any election reforms, which means China has the final say.
China's Communist Party clearly fears growing demands for full democracy could threaten its control over the territory and possibly spread to the mainland.
Widespread anger against Tung, who is backed by China but not popularly elected, has fuelled demands for more democracy.
While much public frustration has been directed against Tung and not against China's leaders, political analysts believe that Beijing's increasingly hardline stance will alienate more people before the legislative elections later this year.
Recent opinion polls show two-thirds of Hong Kong people want to elect their own leader and all of their legislators from 2007.
Joseph Cheng of Power for Democracy, a think tank working along-side pro-democracy parties, said democrats are organizing a rally to push for more voting rights on July 1 -- to mark the seventh anniversary of the handover and to coincide with the massive protest last year.
-----------------------------------------