Taipei, Aug. 21 (CNA) Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh should "do the right thing in making himself clear on the position and prospects of the country," a coalition of pro-Taiwan independence groups said Tuesday at a press conference.
The coalition also submitted its own action plan for Taiwan's normalization as a country Tuesday before the DPP Central Executive Committee begins to screen a "normal country" resolution this week. It calls for Hsieh to make his position clear to voters on the resolution.
"A great statesman should follow the example of former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who insisted on `doing the right thing, '" said Taiwan Society North Vice President Michelle Wang, who spoke on behalf of the coalition.
What the coalition feels is the "right thing" for Hsieh to do, Wang explained, is to make Taiwan a normal country, a topic Hsieh has been reluctant to elaborate on.
The content of the action plan is little different to the DPP's "normal country" resolution, which includes the basic objectives of changing the country's name, writing a new constitution, establishing a normal country and joining the United Nations, she said, although she claimed it is the "voice of the people."
The DPP election ticket "symbolizes the successful integration of the DPP's internal factions, but we have not seen anything from the DPP that can touch the voters, " claimed Hsu Yung-ming, a research fellow at Academia Sinica and a Taiwan Society North member.
"Supporters are still confused at Hsieh's positioning of the country because he has never made it clear to the public. It's also hard to fathom why the normal country resolution is still an issue without consensus within the DPP, " according to Allen Houng, chairman of the Constitution Reform Alliance.
A responsible political party is supposed to submit its party platform and the blueprint for the country before a major election, said Tsai Ting-kuei, chairman of the Taiwan Association of University Professors (TAUP). Tsai noted that the coalition does not endorse any candidate in the 2008 presidential election.
"We would like to see `vision, mission and action' from presidential candidates. An election is like an agreement between the candidates and the voters. Any change of position after the election would be a breach of contract, " said William Lo, a pastor of Taiwan's Presbyterian Church.
Once the resolution makes it through the DPP Central Executive Committee, it is scheduled to be presented to the party congress this autumn for final approval.