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NEWS - Let Taiwan choose its path:



Subject: NEWS - Let Taiwan choose its path: opposition chief

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST - Thursday, July 29, 1999

TAIWAN

Let Taiwan choose its path: opposition chief

AGENCIES

Taiwan presidential hopeful Chen Shui-bian left for Japan yesterday,
saying
the island should be left alone to decide its political future.
Mr Chen, of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP),
appealed
to the world to respect the path Taiwan chose.

"The people of Taiwan have chosen to pursue a democratic system, to live
a
democratic way of life," he said.

Earlier, Mr Chen said he was planning to "rest and think" during his
30-hour
stay in Tokyo, but would not rule out exchanging views with Japanese
policy-makers on security in the Asia-Pacific region and economic
affairs.

The lawyer-turned-politician, 48, won the DPP presidential ticket this
month
despite his defeat in Taipei mayoral elections in December. He is to
return
to Taipei tomorrow afternoon.

Mr Chen last visited Japan in March to discuss security issues. That
trip
also took him to South Korea and Mongolia and was seen as an effort to
raise
his profile. In April, Mr Chen toured the United States in preparation
for
his presidential bid.

An advocate of Taiwanese independence, Mr Chen has been touting a "new
middle-of-the-road course" and a grand democratic alliance to oust the
ruling Kuomintang.

In next March's presidential election, Mr Chen will probably face former
Taiwan governor James Soong and Vice-President Lien Chan.