The documents show that Lien Chen-tung bought the land in 1949, a year before official records show that the KMT government nationalized the property in 1950. Another document shows that the land was transferred to Lien in 1951.

"This piece of land should have belonged to the government. But actually Lien bought it before the government nationalized the land," DPP campaign headquarters spokesperson Wu Nai-jen said yesterday.

Wu said the land was involved in a series of scandals as it was once used for a karaoke bar, which burned down in 1995 because of lax fire-prevention facilities, and then a video game parlor, which was closed in 1996 following a crackdown instigated by former Chen Shui-bian when he was Taipei mayor.

In addition to the unjust way in which it obtained the government-owned property, the Lien family also illegally bought farming land and put it to commercial uses.

Wu yesterday said Lien Chan bought land as a farmer in Taipei City's Shihlin District in 1959 when he studied in the US. The land was made available for commercial uses a year later.

In 1961, Lien Chen-tung used the same method to buy another piece of land in the same area and completed the land recategorization five years later.

Lien's eldest daughter, Lien Hui-hsin, also bought farmland at the age of two in 1969 in Shihlin, which was changed into building land in 1972.

Wu yesterday said although the Agricultural Development Act (ADA), which stipulates that only persons who are able to cultivate the land are eligible to buy farming land, was not passed until 1973, the previous Land Law, passed in 1930, held the same regulations on farmland purchases.

Wu yesterday dismissed KMT Secretary General Lin Feng-cheng's defense that the ADA was not applicable and therefore the Lien family was not breaking the law in conducting such deals.

"Lin's defense was utter lies. The law said clearly that even before 1973, only those who are able to cultivate the land are eligible for owning farming land," Wu said.

Not to be outdone, the KMT is running TV commercials targeting Chen Shui-bian's family wealth.

Envoy to US admits ties are strained

CONTENTIOUS VOTE: The planned referendum on China's missiles is not fully understood by the US government, according to Taiwan's US representative

By Melody Chen

STAFF REPORTER

The government's referendum proposal is causing difficulties in its relations with the US and great efforts are needed to iron out discrepancies between the ways each country views the issue, Taiwan's top representative to the US said yesterday.

With only 81 days to go before the "defensive referendum" proposed by President Chen Shui-bian, it has become urgent to correct the misunderstandings resulting from the vote, said Chen Chien-jen, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington.

"I told my colleagues we are facing an unprecedented situation. Our pressure, burden and workload have increased a lot. But if we can handle the situation properly, we will make a great contribution to our country," he said.

The US disapproves of the two issues Chen Shui-bian proposed for the referendum to be held with the presidential election in March -- whether China should remove 496 missiles aimed at Taiwan and whether it should renounce the use of force against Taiwan.

Returning to Taipei on Sunday, Chen Chien-jen presented a report on Taiwan's ties with the US, its most important ally, in the legislature yesterday.

The envoy said he would be meeting with the president to discuss "how to solve difficulties in Taiwan-US relations caused by the referendum" and the "worst scenario" should the issue not be appropriately dealt with.

In their question-and-answer sessions with Chen Chien-jen, legislators from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) expressed doubt over whether Taiwan could salvage its ties with the US, which they said had been shattered by the referendum.

"I am confident we can settle the referendum issue with the US," Chen Chien-jen replied, "and I believe `the worst scenario' will not happen."

Chen Chien-jen, saying he was "reasonably optimistic" about solving the referendum issue with the US, declined to explain what he meant by the "worst scenario."

KMT Legislator Sun Kuo-hwa, nevertheless, suggested that an invasion by China would be the worst scenario.

Chen Chien-jen responded that if such an attack took place, the US would definitely get involved in Taiwan's defense in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act. But he did not specify whether the US assistance would involve military intervention.

He said US President George W. Bush's rebuke of Chen Shui-bian during his meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Dec. 9 was not merely "lip service" to China. Bush used sharp words rarely used by the US government, he said.

The US administration decided Bush should make the remarks after its communications with Taiwan about the referendum failed to bring constructive results, according to Chen Chien-jen.

"The US regards the referendum as a very serious issue," he said.

But he noted that Bush's comment that the US would do "whatever it takes to help Taiwan defend itself" still stood.

China attempts to influence Taiwan through Washington, but "US officials are clever and will not easily give in to China's pressure," Chen Chien-jen said. The US' national interest is the first priority in its consideration of many issues, he added.

Foreign media clear on identity

By Cody Yiu

STAFF REPORTER

"All major foreign news agencies simply refer to Taiwan as `Taiwan' and China as `China,' and yet certain Taiwanese news agencies still refer to Taiwan as `Republic of China.'"－Laurence Eyton, deputy editor in chief of the `Taipei Times'

Foreign media workers and academic experts said yesterday that Taiwan's media have more trouble dealing with the name of the country than foreign media.

"Only Taiwanese media have the Taiwan-naming issue. When covering news related to Taiwan, all major foreign news agencies simply refer to Taiwan as `Taiwan' and China as `China,' and yet certain Taiwanese news agencies still refer to Taiwan as `Republic of China,'" said Laurence Eyton, deputy editor in chief at the Taipei Times.

Eyton, speaking at a seminar on media monitoring, said the state-owned Central News Agency still refers to Taiwan as `Republic of China' and China as `mainland China.'

"The Taipei Times was founded in 1999 to project a real Taiwanese perspective in English, not only in Taiwan but, very importantly, also overseas. At the time there was almost no news available in English overseas except for the highly distorted propaganda, stressing Taiwan's Chineseness and zeal for unification, of the then KMT [Chinese Nationalist Party] government," he said.

Eyton was responsible during the launch of the Taipei Times for coming up with the terms for Taiwan-related matters.

"What I had decided on was that the general rule of thumb would be calling Taiwan `Taiwan' and China `China.' If there are special circumstances, such as a direct quote, we might also include `Republic of China' but then we would add a sentence to say that this was Taiwan's formal name," he said.

Linda Gail Arrigo, international affairs officer for Green Party Taiwan, offered an explanation for Taiwan's identity crisis.

"On the one hand, Taiwanese may be confused by the historical events that led to the Taiwan of today; on the other hand, it is also a habit that is hard to let go of," Arrigo said.

She said only 3 percent of the world's population acknowledges Taiwan as the Republic of China.

"These 3 percent are people in the few countries with which Taiwan has diplomatic ties. For instance, US electronic media refer to Taiwan as `Taiwan,'" Arrigo said.

Arrigo said that if "Republic of China" appears in an article, it usually appears in an appendix or at the end of a long article.

"In such a case, `Republic of China' is there just as a supplementary explanation," Arrigo said.

Stephane Corcuff, a lecturer at Sciences Po (The Institute of Political Studies) in Paris, said French media make a clear distinction between Taiwan and China.

"When describing cross-strait situations, French media call Taiwan `Taiwan' and China `China,' not `ROC' and `PRC,'" Corcuff said.

Corcuff, who specializes in the study of the identity issue, personally refers to "China" as "Asian Mainland" to deviate from any political associations.

"I am probably the only one in France to use this special term to refer to China. Indeed, even many intelligent French individuals are confused by the different names representing Taiwan," Corcuff said.

Enough KMT 'black gold' politics

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the pan-blue camp have each launched propaganda campaigns over the family assets of the other's leader.

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) recently released a TV commercial titled "Do you like it? Papa can't afford it." The ad centers on President Chen Shui-bian's son, Chen Chih-chung, who drives a Jaguar, and on a father agonizing about the fact that he can't afford such a car for his son. The commercial even portrays Chen's "golden grandson," Chao Yi-an, as a child glittering with gold.

Chen hails from a poor farmer's family. He relied on his own hard work to overcome the circumstances of his birth and become a head of state. His life story is material for an inspirational book.

Chen's family assets have increased in recent years, but only by a small amount -- a far cry from the wealth amassed by certain individuals and conglomerates by means of financial privilege and insider trading.

The first family's every move is subject to public scrutiny, and people expect the first family to be role models, especially in the education of its children. Unfortunately the first couple violated a big taboo by buying a Jaguar for their son, who had just graduated from college, as a graduation gift.

The commercial's use of Chao Yi-an is the sort of thing that will make most Taiwanese very uncomfortable. First of all, involving an infant in a political struggle seems very low. Second, the ad misrepresents a phrase from Hoklo, more commonly known as Taiwanese. The Taiwanese phrase simply means "precious grandson" and has nothing to do with the precious metal. Many Taiwanese use "golden grandson" to describe their grandsons. Chen's family is no exception.

The DPP quickly responded with a TV commercial titled "Do you like it? Papa will `a' it for you." [Note: "a" is Taiwanese slang word meaning "steal."] The ad describes how the family of KMT Chairman Lien Chan amassed great wealth. Lien's grandfather, Lien Heng was a poor writer, but the family's fortunes increased as Lien's father, Lien Chen-tung, took up a string of government posts. The media estimates that the Lien family's wealth amounts to NT$20 billion.

Yesterday, the DPP also released 500,000 copies of a booklet describing how Lien Chen-tung collaborated with businesspeople to strike it rich when he was a civil servant. The booklet shows solid attention to detail based on painstaking research and investigation. It should make good material for future study of corrupt politics in the KMT era.

Under the KMT's rule, there was no differentiation between party coffers and government coffers, and party assets were treated almost like family assets. There have been reports about high-ranking KMT government officials buying real estate in the US.

For example, Allen Soong, son of PFP Chairman James Soong, owns five houses in the US, two of which he bought after just having left university, without ever having had a job. Where did he get the money? The answer is simple: "Do you like it? Papa will `a' it for you."

Any veteran journalist will remember how Lien Chan's wife, Lien Fang-yu, was suspected of insider trading on the TAIEX in the years when Lien held important government positions. The government's prosecutorial and investigative units were under KMT control at the time, and the matter was eventually forgotten.

The Liens and Soongs grew rich through KMT corruption. We can only hope that on March 20 Taiwanese do not do not let these thieves, by retaking power, reinstate the impunity they exploited so well in the past.

Forget ideology; KMT is pure greed

By Lee Min-yung

The Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) vicious usurpation of national assets has long since been exposed in a book titled Party-State Capitalism, published by the Taipei Society. And ever since the KMT lost power as a result of the growth of Taiwan's democracy, the party has talked the talk but not walked the walk regarding the return of its inappropriately obtained assets.

As the presidential election draws near, calls for the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) government to try to recover these assets can be heard once again. But the occupier/robber has not yet changed its essential nature, and continues to argue irrationally.

The "KMT phenomenon" after World War II included not only usurpation and theft but also attempts at cultural hegemony and an even more outrageous autocratic rule. Politics was simply a means for the party; economic interests were the ultimate goal.

Perhaps we can compare the country to a company listed on a stock market -- or a cooperative, to be more precise -- because major shareholders in a company are more powerful than minor ones, while members of a cooperative enjoy equal rights. The KMT is the shareholder or cooperative member that controlled the country in the past. It robbed the country during its long rule.

This phenomenon can also be seen in many listed companies or cooperatives in Taiwan. Some shareholders or cooperative members who hold management power have learned many vicious tricks from the KMT's rule. Their methods of usurpation and robbery are basically the same.

Some of these usurpers and robbers even cause their companies or cooperatives to collapse intentionally because they can make a profit when the company fails.

Minor shareholders or cooperative members are often the victims in such cases. Unfortunately, the people in charge under the KMT government were unable to protect the rights and interests of the weak, who could do nothing but complain about their hardship and suffering.

Doesn't such an economic phenomenon often occur in Taiwanese society?

The people are often victims of national conditions in Taiwan.

The KMT lost power in 2000, but it has shouted a slogan -- "a second power transition" -- to help it come back to power. Some elements in society intend to give the KMT a second chance. But some of them are involved in an "accomplice structure" or a "booty-sharing system."

And some of them can best be described by the Chinese saying, "One never gives up until reaching the Yellow River," which means that a person never gives up until all hope is gone.

The KMT has a strong political ideology, but what it really wants is to usurp and rob, and that desire is strictly economic.

Perhaps the party should be called the KMT Holding Corporation. Its ideology is merely a cover for its usurpation and robbery.

Lee Ming-yung is a poet.

China planted Hong Kong spy story

By Paul Lin

`China obviously had the news report published in order to echo the criticisms made by Lin and some other politicians.'

On Nov. 30, President Chen Shui-bian specified the locations in Jiangxi, Guangdong and Fujian provinces where China has deployed 496 ballistic missiles that are aimed at Taiwan.

He did this at a campaign rally to explain the necessity of holding an anti-missile referendum. But his statements were strongly criticized by People First Party (PFP) Legislator Lin Yu-fang, who said that Beijing would use the confidential information leaked by Chen to search for and arrest Taiwan's intelligence agents in China.

On Dec. 19, the media reported that retired Major-General Chen Hu-men -- a former intelligence official at the National Security Bureau -- had said that many of the nation's intelligence agents in China, including his former subordinates and old friends, had suddenly disappeared after the president's statement on missiles.

Chen Hu-men turned for help to independent Legislator Sisy Chen, making plans with her to establish a rescue group for Taiwan's many intelligence agents who had allegedly disappeared in China after the "duds" statement by former president Lee Teng-hui -- Lee revealed during the 1996 missile crisis that the missiles China had fired into the Taiwan Strait were blanks -- or after Chen's "496 missiles" statement.

The Hong Kong-based Ming Pao reported on Dec. 22 that "the newspaper has confirmed through various sources that China's national security agencies have recently strengthened their crackdown on people who spy for Taiwan. They smashed a large-scale Taiwanese spy ring in mid-December. A total of 21 Taiwanese and 15 Chinese were arrested."

The newspaper reported that this was the biggest Taiwanese spy ring Beijing had uncovered in recent years, and those involved had for years been stealing secret information about China's missile deployments. The paper also reported that, according to sources, Beijing was able to crack the case because the president had revealed the specific number and locations of China's missiles aimed at the nation. As a result, the paper said, China's national security agencies had arrested many people who had spied for Taiwan in Shandong, Guangdong and Fujian provinces.

The words and actions of Lin, Chen Hu-men and Ming Pao are closely related.

On the surface, Lin's criticism seems to be quite reasonable, and might make one wonder if Chen Shui-bian is qualified to be president after leaking state secrets. However, if we examine the situation more carefully, we realize that in fact Beijing is trying to help the alliance of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the PFP in the upcoming election.

Let's talk about Chen Hu-men. I'm sure that he has contributed to Taiwan's national security in the past, but now that he is retired he should not interfere with security affairs. Problems concerning the nation's intelligence agents should be handled by the authorities in charge. Chen Hu-men should speak directly to the authorities if he feels they have made mistakes, instead of recklessly making confidential information public. Even if he wants to rescue intelligence agents, he should do so secretly.

How could he go to Sisy Chen and cause an uproar? And wasn't he divulging secret information to China? Such behavior does not square with the behavior expected of a senior intelligence official. It is unacceptable if he placed a political party's interest above the nation's interest by attacking a candidate in the election.

The newspaper report is also suspicious. A newspaper might get in trouble if it stole state secrets. It's more plausible that the information was leaked by the Chinese government to accomplish political goals. Since the news report pointed a finger at Chen Shui-bian, the article was obviously published to damage his campaign.

But let's put motives aside for now. The actual content of the news report is also problematic.

First, it would be easy for Beijing to crack a spy ring if the information about missiles that Chen Shui-bian revealed were collected from a high-level Chinese official who is aware of the details of China's missile deployment. But it would be difficult to crack the case if such confidential information were collected from Taiwan's spies in China, as local authorities have to investigate those spy cases by themselves.

The problem is that if there are any high-level Chinese officials spying for Taiwan, they would be more famous than most other officials. But since Beijing was unable to discover such a spy, and was unable to invent one, it could only investigate local cases.

Second, judging from the news report, it would have been impossible for China to crack such a large-scale spy ring, one involving dozens of spies, within half a month of Chen Shui-bian's statements.

Third, when Chen's Shui-bian made his missile statements, he mentioned the deployment of missiles in Jiangxi, Guangdong and Fujian provinces.

But in the news report, the arrests took place in Shandong, Guangdong and Fujian provinces.

How did Jiangxi become Shandong?

Did Taiwan's intelligence agents run away from Jiangxi and go to Shangdong?

Were the arrests of Taiwan's intelligence agents in Shandong also a result of the remarks?

In view of all this, I believe that the Hong Kong news report was published to carry out Beijing's purposes.

Although I do not rule out the possibility that Taiwanese spies were arrested in China, Beijing might have been keeping an eye on them already, and chose to crack down at this precise moment only to make the president look bad.

Thus, as the election draws near, a sensational news report was published to set the president up.

Also, under an authoritarian regime such as China's, there is no guarantee that some of those arrested weren't arrested wrongly, simply for the sake of political gain.

China obviously had the news report published in order to echo the criticisms made by Lin and some other politicians. In addition to affecting the president's election prospects, the Chinese government wished to create chaos in Taiwan.

If the nation's politicians really love Taiwan, they should speak and act very cautiously, and do not do anything that may "sadden their own people and gladden the enemy," as the saying goes.

If they want to avoid being labeled pro-China, they should clearly draw a line between themselves and the Chinese regime. Otherwise, doubts will remain in the minds of the people.

Paul Lin is a commentator based in New York.

Taiwan and EU's shared interest in Strait peace

By Chen Lung-chu

`The Taiwanese people's quest for peace naturally coincides with the EU countries' interests in the Asian region.'

In 1989 the EU passed a resolution imposing a ban on arms sales to China to protest the forceful suppression of the Tiananmen democracy movement in the face of international public opinion, thereby imposing sanctions on China for its savage violence.

EU countries had recently discussed whether to abolish this ban, but on Dec. 18, the European Parliament decided against such action with a landslide vote -- 373 votes against, 32 in favor and 29 abstentions. On Dec. 19, immediately following the EU resolution, the Dutch parliament also passed a resolution requiring the Dutch government to express its opposition to abolishing the ban.

The European and Dutch parliamentary resolutions in fact highlight the importance the EU places on the Taiwan Strait security issue. Taiwan is not alone in advocating the preservation of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. It is also advocated by advanced democratic countries, and coincides with the interests of EU countries.

To be able to maintain stability in the Taiwan Strait and dissolve the armed threat posed by China's missiles, Taiwan has to work through both military and non-military channels. Militarily speaking, Taiwan has to establish a complete defense system and a healthy public psychological defense to restrict Chinese attempts to invade the country.

From a non-military perspective, Taiwan should concentrate on a preventive referendum in its endeavor to win international understanding and support to ensure its national security.

In other words, Taiwan needs to make the international community understand that the preventive referendum to be held on March 20 next year is a peace referendum aiming at highlighting the seriousness of the Chinese dictatorship's armed threats against democratic Taiwan. The people of Taiwan will use their collective democratic will to demand that China remove its missiles aimed at Taiwan and give up its threats.

The Taiwanese people's quest for peace naturally coincides with the EU countries' interests in the Asian region. Continuing to allow China to freely raise the level of its threats will lead to a military imbalance in the region, and it will also have a negative impact on prospects for peace and stability.

A preventive referendum will demonstrate Taiwan's efforts to realize direct democracy and preserve peace. This coincides with the international community's mainstream values. The reason the relationship between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait has become more tense is not the result of Taiwan's initiating a preventive referendum. The real reason is China's constant threats against Taiwan.

The international community should support peaceful and democratic Taiwan and oppose a communist China endangering regional and international peace. Once China dismantles the missiles aimed at Taiwan and clearly declares that it gives up the option of launching an armed attack on Taiwan, there will no longer be a need to hold a preventive referendum.

Chen Lung-chu is the chairman of the Taiwan New Century Foundation.

Clear Message

Huang Shun-nan, 45, stands next to a giant stone penis he carved at Tonghsiao Ocean Park on Taiwan's west coast yesterday to protest against China's deployment of nearly 500 missiles. Huang spent three months carving the 2.8m, 10-tonne penis at his home in Kaohsiung but moved it to the park because it is closer to China. ``I am not a politician and I don't know politics, but China's missile threat is a humiliation for Taiwan, so I want to use the most vulgar and most native expression to show Taiwanese people's anger,'' he said.