James Soong

James Chu-yu Soong (宋楚瑜 Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'u-yü; pinyin: Sòng Chǔyú; born March 16, 1942) is a politician in the Republic of China on Taiwan. He founded and chairs the People First Party, which favors eventual Chinese reunification.

2000 presidential elections

After losing the KMT presidential nomination to then-vice president Lien Chan, Soong ran as an independent in the 2000 Presidential elections. Soong advocated a gradual union between Taiwan and the mainland by first signing a non-aggression pact followed by the formation of a cross-strait union similar to the European Union. His platform called for the characterization of relations between the Mainland and Taiwan as neither foreign nor domestic. Although widely seen as the candidate most friendly to Mainland China, Soong took particular effort to counter the perception that he would "sell out" Taiwan.

Related Topics:
Lien Chan - 2000 Presidential elections - Non-aggression pact - European Union

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The KMT responded by expelling Soong and his supporters from the party. In the final months leading to the 2000 elections, the KMT, then under Lee Teng-hui's leadership, sued Soong for theft, alleging that as party Secretary-General, he stole millions of Taiwan dollars in cash intended for the family of the late President Chiang Ching-kuo and hid the money in the Chunghsing Bills Finance Company. The KMT alleged that Soong wired the stolen money, summing up to 12 million US dollars, into more than 20 accounts of his relatives in the United States. Among them, 6 million US dollars was under his son's name. In defense, Soong admitted the existence of the money but then claimed the money in his son's account was a gift from a senior friend. He later admitted that the money in those bank accouts was in fact all from the KMT, but he insisted that the money transfer was authorized by then-KMT chairman, Lee Teng-hui, which Lee denied.

Related Topics:
2000 - Lee Teng-hui - Chiang Ching-kuo - Chunghsing Bills Finance Company

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The scandal tarnished Soong's image as a clean politician. Initially leading in the polls, Soong narrowly lost the election with 36.84% of the vote to Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party with 39.3%. Lien came in a distant third with only 23.1%. One common belief on Taiwan is that Lee Teng-hui favored the unpopular Vice President Lien Chan over the highly popular Soong in a deliberate effort to sabotage the Kuomintang and was secretly supporting Chen. Others believe Lee feared Soong would help expose the corruption in his regime, and undermine his legacy.

Related Topics:
Chen Shui-bian - Democratic Progressive Party - Lien Chan

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After losing the election, Soong's supporters protested in front of the KMT party headquarters and blockaded the building for a few days. They succeeded in pressuring Lee Teng-hui to resign as KMT Chairman in favor of Lien Chan. Within weeks, Soong and his supporters formed the People First Party (PFP), considered a spin-off from the KMT. The loss of PFP votes was a major factor in causing the KMT to swing toward Chinese reunification thereby causing the subsequent expulsion of Lee Teng-hui.

Related Topics:
People First Party - Chinese reunification

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Prosecutors later dropped all charges against Soong in the Chunghsing Scandal. In 2003, the investigation was reopened, with former President Lee (now expelled from the KMT and the "spiritual leader" of the radically pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union) testifying against Soong in court. However, with the KMT allied with the PFP for the 2004 presidential election, the KMT aided Soong in his defense, and KMT Chairman Lien Chan claimed the KMT was misled into filing the lawsuit against Soong. The KMT dropped the charges and collected the money that had been returned and was deposited in the court by Soong.

Related Topics:
Chunghsing Scandal - 2003 - Taiwan Solidarity Union - Allied

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