02075
pa
RAD REPORT
Summary
RECER
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TAIVAN
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fo Wyver 16/12.
13/12 مل
NOVEMBER 1993
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STRY
The KMT is unexpectedly successful in the local elections, winning 15 of 23 seats. DPP Chairman Hsu Hsin-liang resigns. (Paras 1 & 2)
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- Despite having merged with the Chinese Social Democratic Party, the Chinese New Party fails to win any seats. (Para 3)
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Three more hijackings take place in November, prompting a new decision on repatriation after conviction. (Para 7)
Unofficial talks between Taiwan and China are held in Xiamen, but no formal agreement is reached. (Para 8)
- Taiwan attends the APEC Leadership Conference in Seattle. Remarks by the Minister of Economic Affairs about Taiwan's policy towards the mainland cause a stir. (Para 9)
The BAe deal is put on hold until the local elections are over. (Para 13)
- An EC representative visits Taiwan. Czech and Korean representative offices open in Taipei. (Paras 15 & 16)
Domestic Affairs
1.
The Kuomintang (KMT) won 15 of 23 mayor and magistrate seats in the local elections held on 27 November. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won 6 seats and the other 2 went to independents (one pro-KMT and one pro-DPP). The Chinese New Party (CNP) only won just over three per cent of the total vote and no seats; it blamed the KMT's control of the media for its failure. The KMT did better than expected and can heave a temporary sigh of relief. However, the KMT's share of the vote fell below 50 per cent for the first time, from 53 per cent to 47 per cent. President Lee Teng-hui's unprecedentedly overt campaign in the local elections attracted much comment in the Taiwan press. successfully marketed the image of a party renewed and went so far as to personally guarantee the integrity of some of the candidates. The KMT's victory will have strengthened Lee's personal standing; it seems likely that he will stand for President again in an election brought forward to 1995. On the other hand, his involvement in the elections will have done nothing to win over KMT right-wingers who are considering splitting off to join the Chinese New Party.
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2. The DPP did not win as many seats as they had hoped but they can afford to be optimistic about their longer-term prospects: the party's share of the vote increased to 41 per cent from 38 per cent. Further, the DPP remains in control of what are arguably the two most important seats: Taipei and Kaohsiung counties. On the other hand, the DPP might need to alter its anti-reunification stance if it wants to gain the popular trust necessary to form a
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