VZCZCXRO1001
PP RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHIN #0058/01 0140750
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 140750Z JAN 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7803
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7658
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 1610
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 2325
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 6295
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0794
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8923
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 000058
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AIT/W, EAP/TC, INR/EAP
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR TW
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN TAIWAN LEGISLATIVE ELECTION RESULTS AND RALLY FOR
DPP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
barely won a majority of seats in its traditional southern heartland
in the January 12 legislative elections. DPP presidential candidate
Frank Hsieh held a campaign rally in Kaohsiung the day after the DPP
setback with a good turn-out of approximately 20,000 DPP supporters.
Hsieh and vice presidential candidate Su Tseng-chang apologized for
the DPP island-wide defeat and called on supporters to win back
Taiwan people's dignity by winning the upcoming presidential
election.
2. (SBU) Comment. The KMT winning more LY seats than the DPP in
Kaohsiung city and county surprised many and highlighted the eroded
support of the DPP in the south. Most southern observers, however,
expect DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's strong campaign
skills will improve his chances in the upcoming March 22
presidential election. End Comment and Summary.
DPP Wins Bare Majority in Its "Green" Heartland
--------------------------------------------- ------
3. (SMB) In the weekend Legislative Yuan (LY) elections on January
12th the DPP won 11 out of 22 total seats, the KMT won 10 seats, and
a non-partisan won a remaining seat in Southern Taiwan (See detailed
election report in para 7). The DPP won all 5 seats in Tainan City
and County, while the KMT did extremely well in Kaohsiung, winning 3
of 4 seats in Kaohsiung County and 3 of 5 seats in Kaohsiung City.
Hsieh Presidential Campaign Rally
---------------------------------------
4. (SBU) The next day, January 13, presidential candidate Frank
Hsieh held a campaign rally in Kaohsiung. The DPP bussed in
approximately 20,000 supporters from around southern Taiwan. Hsieh
and vice presidential candidate Su Tseng-chang apologized to the
supporters at the beginning for the LY election defeat,
acknowledging that both of them together with others hold
responsibility for it. They called on supporters to win back Taiwan
people's dignity by winning the upcoming presidential election.
5. (SBU) In his speech, Frank Hsieh declared that he would
emphasize Taiwan's economic development, focusing on attracting
medium and small enterprises to return to Taiwan and facilitate more
job opportunities. He told supporters he would make peace and be
friends with China but reiterated he would deal with China only
based on the premise of "Taiwan sovereignty." The "status-quo," he
maintained, is that "Taiwan is a country with independent
sovereignty." Hsieh argued the DPP must win the presidential
election because the KMT now controls three quarters of the seats in
the LY. He said the KMT will monopolize Taiwan's politics if it
wins the upcoming presidential election and Taiwan people's humble
voices would no longer affect Taiwan's future. Hsieh concluded his
speech by saying that the DPP appreciates the people's "warning and
lesson" conveyed in the LY elections, which he accepted with
humility.
6. (U) The rally ended with all the DPP Magistrates and most
elected officials from southern Taiwan taking the stage to
demonstrate unity and support for their presidential and vice
presidential candidates.
7. (U) Following are the winners in each of the 22 southern Taiwan
LY races by City/County:
Chiayi City - One seat (KMT)
----------------------------
Chiang Yi-hsiung (M), 63 years old, has a Ph.D. in Law from Meiji
University in Japan. Chiang, an incumbent legislator first elected
in the 2006 by-election, was a Professor and Dean of Studies in
National Chung-Cheng University in Chiayi County before his election
to the legislature.
Chiayi County (2 seats) - one KMT, one DPP
------------------------------------------
First District (KMT): Weng Chung-chun (M), 52 years old, has a B.A.
in Journalism from Chinese Culture University. Weng, an incumbent
legislator elected in 2004, earlier served as legislator from 1989
to 2001, and was a county councilor from 1980 to 1988.
TAIPEI 00000058 002 OF 003
Second District (DPP): Chang Hwa-kuang (F, 52 years old, has a
Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from National Chung
Hsing University. Chang is an incumbent legislator first elected in
2001, currently serving her second term. She is a close associate
of incumbent Chiayi Magistrate Chen Ming-wen (DPP). Her husband was
a former KMT Legislator who served from 1992 to 2001.
Tainan City (2 seats) - Two DPP
-------------------------------
First District (DPP): Chen Ting-fei (F), 33 years old, has a
Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Chang Jung
Christian University. She is an incumbent Tainan City Council
Member elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. She was former DPP
Tainan City Chairman from 2004 to 2006.
Second District (DPP): Lai Ching-te (M), 48 years old, is a medical
doctor with a Master's Degree in Public Health from Harvard
University. Lai, an incumbent legislator first elected in 1999, is
serving his third term.
Tainan County (3 seats) - Three DPP
-----------------------------------
First District (DPP): Yeh Yi-jin (F), 47 years old, has a Master's
Degree in music from University of Bridgeport, CT. An incumbent
legislator first elected in 1999, she is serving her third term.
She was a former Taiwan Provincial Assembly member from 1994 to
1998. She may be the next DPP candidate running for the position of
Tainan Magistrate in 2009.
Second District (DPP): Huang Wei-tze (M), 44 years old, has a
Master's Degree in Public Administration from Yale University. He
is an incumbent legislator elected in 2004. He was a former Tainan
County Councilor from 2001 to 2004.
Third District (DPP): Lee Chun-yi (M), 48 years old, has a Master's
Degree in Public Administration from National Cheng Chi University.
He is an incumbent legislator first elected in 1995, currently
serving his fourth term. Lee is affiliated with DPP presidential
candidate Frank Hsieh and often defends Hsieh on political talk
shows.
Kaohsiung City (5 seats) - two DPP, three KMT
---------------------------------------------
First District (KMT): Huang Chao-shun (F), 54 years old, has a
Bachelor's Degree in Pharmaceuticals from Kaohsiung Medical College.
Huang, an incumbent at-large legislator, was first elected to the
legislature in 1992 and is currently serving her fifth term. She is
a member of the KMT Central Standing Committee and a 1993 AIT
International Visitor Program grantee.
Second District (DPP): Guan Bi-ling (F), 52 years old, has a Ph.D.
in Political Science from National Taiwan University. She is an
incumbent legislator elected in 2004 with strong support from Frank
Hsieh. She served in Kaohsiung City Government as Director of the
Cultural Bureau (2002-2004) and Director of the Information Office
(2001-2002) when Frank Hsieh was the Kaohsiung Mayor.
Third District (KMT): Ho Tsai-feng (F), 55 years old, is a junior
college graduate. Ho is an incumbent at-large legislator first
elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2004. She has been a member of
the KMT Central Standing Committee since 1997. Her husband is
former Speaker of the Kaohsiung City Council.
Fourth District (KMT): Lee Fu-hsing (M), 61 years old, has a
Master's Degree in Education from Tokyo Gakugei University in Japan.
Lee is an incumbent legislator elected in 2004. He served as a
Kaohsiung City Councilor from 1990 to 2004.
Fifth District (DPP): Kuo Wen-cheng, 52 years old, is a high-school
graduate. Kuo is an incumbent legislator first elected in 2001 and
re-elected in 2004. Before he was elected to the legislature, he
served as a Kaohsiung City Councilor from 1989 to 2001 for three
terms. His wife is an incumbent City Councilor.
Kaohsiung County (4 seats) - one DPP, three KMT
---------------------------------------------
First District (KMT): Chung Shao-ho, 52 years old, has a Bachelor's
Degree from Chinese Culture University. Chung is an incumbent
legislator first elected in 1998, and re-elected in 2001, 2003. He
TAIPEI 00000058 003 OF 003
was a former KMT member, but joined the People's First Party (PFP)
in 2000 to support then PFP presidential candidate James Soong. In
an agreement between the PFP and KMT, he rejoined the KMT in this
election running as a KMT candidate.
Second District (KMT): Lin Yi-shih (M), 39 years old, has a
Bachelor's Degree in Medicine from Taipei Medical College. Lin, an
incumbent legislator first elected in 1998, is serving his third
term. He was a dentist before entering politics.
Third District (DPP): Chen Chi-yu (M), 43 years old, has a
Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from National Taiwan University. He
is affiliated with former Magistrate Yu Cheng-hsien (who is also a
DPP candidate running in the second district but lost). Under Yu's
support, he may run for Kaohsiung County Magistrate in 2009.
Fourth District (KMT): Chiang Ling-chun (F), 32 years old, has an
MBA from National Sun Yat-sen University. She is an incumbent
Kaohsiung County Councilor first elected in 2001 and now serving her
second term. Her father was a former National Assembly member and
county councilor. Since this is her first time running for the LY
in a DPP area, her victory was a great surprise to both the KMT and
DPP. Most people attributed her victory to KMT presidential
candidate Ma Ying-jeou's strong support and campaigning during the
election.
Pingtung County (3 seats) - two DPP, one KMT
--------------------------------------------
First District (DPP): Su Chen-ching (M), 42 years old, has a
Master's Degree in Agricultural Administration from National
Pingtung University of Science and Technology. He is an incumbent
Pingtung County Councilor first elected in 2001 and re-elected in
2005. He is a nephew of Su Chia-chuan, incumbent Chairman of
Taiwan's Council of Agriculture and also former Pingtung County
Magistrate (1997-2004).
Second District (KMT): Wang Chin-shih (M), 58 years old, has an EMBA
from National Sun Yat-sen University. Wang, a former Pingtung City
Mayor from 1997 to 2005, was defeated by his DPP opponent in the
2005 election for Pingtung County Magistrate. He was a news
reporter before entering politics.
Third District (DPP): Pan Meng-an (M), 44 years old, has an MBA
from Honolulu University in Hawaii. He is an incumbent legislator
elected in 2004 and served as a Pingtung County Councilor from 1998
to 2004.
Taitung County (1 seat) - one KMT
---------------------------------
Huang Jeng-tin (Justin Huang) (M), 49 years old, has a MBA from
University of Santa Clara, California. Huang, an incumbent
legislator first elected in 2001, is serving his second term.
Huang's father was Taitung County Magistrate from 1968 to 1976 and
served in various important party positions in the 1980's.
Penghu County (1 seat) - one non-partisan
-----------------------------------------
Lin Ping-kun (M), 60 years old, has a Bachelor's degree in Library
Science of National Taiwan University. Lin, an incumbent legislator
first elected in 1995, re-elected in 1998, 2001, and 2003. Although
a non-partisan, the KMT supported him in the elections.
Thiele
Young