After eight days and seven nights of travel and contemplation in the company of Tachia's Matsu deity, followed by a trek up Yushan's main peak for some "last thoughts," on May 7 Hsu Hsin-liang, one of the founders of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), announced that he was leaving the party to join the 2000 presidential campaign. Hsu's decision is a major blow to the DPP and has sent shockwaves through the presidential race.

Just one day prior to the start of the DPP's national party congress, Hsu, a former party chairman, released his parting statement, "Comrades, We Must Go Our Separate Ways-Goodbye DPP."

Hsu said that leaving the party was the most difficult and painful decision of his life. Since withdrawing from the KMT 22 years ago, Hsu had given the prime of his life to the opposition movement and the DPP. But now, "the fight for democracy is finished. The glorious battles of the past are over. We can't stop here forever, reminiscing on the glories of days gone by and enjoying the fruits of battles already fought."

Hsu believes that great efforts were made to restructure the party during his and Shih Ming-te's terms as party chairman. Among their reforms were the party's decision to "reform the system from inside" and a reinterpretation of the DPP's outline for Taiwan independence. There was, however, much opposition to these changes. "I don't care about the party's treatment of me, but I can't not care that the party is no longer a force in the development of Taiwan's history." Hsu therefore decided, "I must journey onward alone. . . . Comrades, we must part because I will continue to move forward!"

At the party congress in Kaohsiung which followed Hsu's departure, the DPP not only approved a roadmap for Taiwan's future and agreed that any motions on Taiwan independence would be submitted to a public referendum, it also passed party articles on the nomination of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2000 elections. These articles side-stepped the so-called "four-year clause" which stated that party members could only run for one of the offices of provincial governor, mayor of Taipei or Kaohsiung, president or vice president within a four-year period, thus clearing the way for Chen Shui-bian's run for president.

Hsu's withdrawal from the DPP and decision to run independently coupled with the party's drafting of Chen Shui-bian as its presidential candidate has left the DPP in dire straits-its vote has been split and the party is caught up in internecine strife. Polls also suggest that Hsu's departure has struck a heavy blow to party unity. In fact, competition between Hsu and Chen was already heated before Hsu announced his decision with splits in evidence long before the presidential campaign became an issue.

With calls for the nomination of Chen in order to secure an election victory coming from both within and without the party, Hsu felt powerless. One DPP legislative aid pointed out that many of Chen's supporters viewed Hsu's candidacy as an annoyance and Hsu's supporters as traitors to the party.

Another view notes that Chen himself has said that the DPP should not alter the "four-year clause" just for him, and that his own candidacy is not essential to the DPP. Moreover, he encouraged everyone to support Hsu's presidential bid. But members of the party's Formosa faction, which supports Hsu, say that Chen's statements were a cunning means of forcing Hsu from the party.

Following on these events, the way has been cleared for a run at the presidency by Chen. But Hsu, too, is hell-bent on being a candidate. The Hsu-Chen rift has cost the DPP one of its founders and has struck a blow to party harmony. It seems clear that if Hsu and Chen encounter one another on the 2000 campaign trail, it will be yet another test for the DPP.

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Hsu Hsin-liang's departure from the DPP and the declaration of his presidential candidacy mean a showdown is on the way. (photo by Pu Hua-chih)