DATE=3/24/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA - LEE REACT  (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260545
BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN
DATELINE=BEIJING
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:  China has acknowledged the resignation of Lee 
Teng-hui as the head of Taiwan's Nationalist Party, 
saying he was forced out by public pressure.  V-O-A 
correspondent Stephanie Mann reports from Beijing, 
news coverage by China's state-run media has 
emphasized the turmoil in the Nationalist Party in the 
wake of Saturday's presidential election on Taiwan.

TEXT:  China's official Xinhua news agency says Lee 
Teng-hui was forced to announce his resignation today 
(Friday) as chairman of the Nationalist Kuomintang 
Party because of mounting pressure from public 
opinion.

Xinhua says the Kuomintang suffered a humiliating 
defeat in the election, and demands for Mr. Lee's 
resignation became louder and louder.  The report says 
calls for his immediate resignation spread from 
Kuomintang headquarters in Taipei to other parts of 
the island and to overseas. 

The Xinhua story also says Mr. Lee's resignation was 
greeted with loud applause from the crowd that 
gathered around the party headquarters.  While the 
government has not issued an official reaction to Mr. 
Lee's resignation, the Xinhua story indicates that he 
brought about his own downfall. 

China has been openly critical of Lee Teng-hui since 
1995 when he made an unofficial trip to the United 
States.  Beijing has labeled him a "splittist" for his 
efforts to raise Taiwan's international status and for 
his insistence that China and Taiwan treat each other 
as equals. 

In the week since the Taiwan election, China's state-
run media have reported the dissension within the 
Kuomintang, and television newscasts have shown scenes 
of rioting and violence in Taipei.  Other developments 
have not been reported, such as the decision by 
Taiwan's parliament to allow some direct trade and 
mail links with the mainland. 

Mr. Lee's party has ruled Taiwan for more than 50 
years, just as the Communist Party has ruled on the 
mainland for the same five decades.  Saturday's 
election on Taiwan was the first time Chinese voters 
have ousted a ruling party under a democratic system.

Although the Xinhua story was primarily about Mr. 
Lee's resignation, it also notes that James Soong was 
the runner-up in the election and adds that he will 
form a new political party.  But the report makes no 
mention of the man who won the election, Chen Shui-
bian.  

// REST OPTIONAL //

Before the election, China warned Taiwan's voters not 
to cast their ballots for Mr. Chen, whose Democratic 
Progressive Party advocates Taiwan independence. 

China has said his victory does not change the fact 
that Taiwan is part of China and any talks between 
Taiwan's new leader and the mainland should be based 
on the one-China principle.  Since the election, China 
has not repeated its threat to use force to reunite 
Taiwan with the mainland, but Chinese officials say 
they are watching what Mr. Chen says and does. 

On Taiwan, Lee Teng-hui has been highly regarded and 
called "Mr. Democracy," for leading the island out of 
authoritarian one-party rule.  But Mr. Lee is blamed 
for the Kuomintang's election defeat because he 
allowed popular politician James Soong to leave the 
party and run as an independent presidential 
candidate.  His candidacy drew voters away from 
Kuomintang candidate Lien Chan, who finished a distant 
third. (Signed)

NEB/SMN/FC/PLM



24-Mar-2000 04:05 AM EDT (24-Mar-2000 0905 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.