US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4818

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 004818 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, TW, Domestic Politics 
SUBJECT: VICE PRESIDENT LU HSIU-LIEN NAMED ACTING DPP PARTY 
CHAIRMAN 
 
Classified By: AIT Acting Director David Keegan, Reasons: 
1.4 (b/d) 
 
1.  (U) Immediately following the December 7 meeting of the 
DPP Central Standing Committee (CSC), a beaming Vice 
President Lu Hsiu-lien announced to the media that the CSC 
had unexpectedly selected her by consensus to serve as Acting 
DPP Party Chairman to fill temporarily the vacancy left by Su 
Tseng-chang, who resigned to take responsibility for the 
 
SIPDIS 
outcome of the December 3 local elections. 
 
2.  (C) DPP Director of International Affairs and Legislator 
Bi-Khim Hsiao told AIT that she was surprised by the proposal 
to nominate Lu, which came from CSC member and Legislator 
Trong Chai (Tsai Tung-jung).  Lu will serve only until a new 
chairman is elected in January, Hsiao said.  At its December 
14 meeting the CSC will pass the outline plan for the 
election of the new chairman, which should take place in 
mid-January, prior to the Lunar New Year holiday. 
 
Comment 
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3.  (C) Vice President Lu has a reputation for being 
unpredictable and outspoken and has generally been sidelined 
by President Chen.  Prior to the December 3 local elections, 
she predicted openly that the DPP would not do well, and 
afterwards she announced that she and the president both had 
responsibility for the election reverses.  Although a 
potential 2008 presidential candidate, Lu's chances of 
winning the DPP nomination are rated much lower than other 
potential candidates such as Su Tseng-chang.  One of Lu's 
strong points, which may have led to her being selected as 
acting chairman, is that she has not been involved in any of 
the string of scandals that has tarnished the DPP and its 
leadership. 
 
4.  (C) Trong Chai, the founding chairman of the Formosan 
Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), expressed his 
intention to compete in the election for the next DPP 
chairman during a December 5 meeting of the DPP Mainstream 
Coalition faction, according to the press.  Trong Chai's 
success in installing Lu as interim DPP Chair will be 
troubling to anyone hoping the DPP would take a measured, 
moderate course after its December 3 defeat.  His candidacy 
to succeed Lu will likely motivate the New Tide and others to 
find a less fundamentalist alternative.  The future course of 
the DPP could be determined by their success or failure. 
 
KEEGAN