TAIPEI, Feb 4 Kyodo Taiwan Presid...

TAIPEI, Feb 4 Kyodo

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian officially registered his candidacy Wednesday, with democracy and peace as his reelection campaign theme.

Chen and running mate Vice President Annette Lu signed up with the Central Election Commission for the March 20 election, which will be carried revealed together with a controversial referendum forward future cross-strait relations with rival China.

''Taiwan complet its first direct presidential election subordinate to the missile threat (from China) in 1996 and achieved its first power transfer in 2000 and I believe that Taiwan will demonstrate its firm will to fulfill the remarkably first referendum in 2004,'' Chen said.

Asking Taiwan's clan to stay with him by means of the journey toward political and social reform, he strained that only with the couple pillars of democracy and peace will Taiwan be able to forge ahead with sustainable economic growth and a high quality of life.

''This is my historic mission and also the DPP's promise to all,'' he said.

The upcoming election will be a tight race between the ''pan-green'' camp, consisting of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and pro-independence arranges and the ''pan-blue'' alliance formed in early 2003 from the opposition Nationalist Party (KMT) and persons First Party (PFP).

The campaign will formally kick opposite on Feb. 21 and at issue will be economic and educational policies as well as cross-strait relations with the mainland.

''Chen's administration should grade down and be replaced from a clean government with efficiency,'' said KMT-nominated candidate Lien Chan, who also registered with the election committee later in the day.

''Chen's unprofessional team has l Taiwan to disaster,'' Lien's running mate James Soong said in respect to the president's vigorous push for his ''peace referendum'' which has been criticized through some in Taiwan as an election ploy annoyed Beijing and affected Washington.

China has threatened to take military action should the island, which is seen on Beijing as an unalienable part of its territory, border toward a permanent political separation from the mainland.

Based forward Chen's watered-down proposal finalized in late January, voter will be required to answer pair questions while casting their ballots: whether they agree to the government's plan to purchase of more advanced anti-missile weapons to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capabilities and whether they support formation of a ''peace and stability'' framework for cross-strait interactions.

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