SUSPICIOUS EARS:Several calls yesterday to DPP officials asking for the form for James Soong’s petition raised eyebrows. Turns out the caller was a TVBS employee
By Chris Wang / Staff Reporter
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said a TV station was using trickery to create the impression that the DPP was trying to help People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) with his presidential election signature drive.
Several DPP councilors in Greater Kaohsiung received telephone inquiries from the same person yesterday morning asking them to provide a form for Soong’s petition, DPP spokesperson Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) told a press conference.
Although the DPP prohibits its members from involving themselves in Soong’s signature drive, some staff members offered to download the document from the Internet for the caller, Lin said.
The calls raised suspicions within the party and after the person was called back, it was determined the caller was a TVBS employee.
“We condemn the TV station’s use of trickery to fabricate a news story for ratings or whatever objectives it might have,” Lin said.
Some TVBS political talk shows have used “outrageous” methods to discredit the DPP, Lin added.
The DPP said it would take legal action against the station if it aired the story and condemned “practices that do not uphold the media’s moral standards,” DPP spokesperson Kang Yu-cheng (康裕成) said.
The party reiterated its prohibition on any DPP members being involved in Soong’s signature drive, Kang added.
At a separate press conference, the DPP also said former premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄), who now serves as chairman of the General Association of Chinese Culture, was involved in promoting businesses for the Chinese government.
Liu attended the annual summit of the World Federation of Chinese Entrepreneurs Organization (WFCEO), a peripheral organization of the Chinese government, in Macau over the weekend to promote international investment in Chinese companies, DPP spokesman Chuang Ruei-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said.
It was highly inappropriate for a former premier to promote investment opportunities for Chinese businesses, rather than Taiwanese companies, Chuang said.
The WFCEO was established in 2006 as part of Beijing’s economic united front efforts to attract foreign investment, he said.
It is unacceptable for a former government official to lobby for China at a time when Taiwan’s foreign direct investment is decreasing, he added.
In response, aides to Liu said the theme of the conference was cultural and creative branding and that of the more than 1,400 participants, more than 400 were from Taiwan.
They said Liu only delivered one speech on the influence of East Asian characteristics and was not involved in any investment matters.
Additional reporting by CNA