TAIPEI, Dec 4 Kyodo The mayoralty...

TAIPEI, Dec 4 Kyodo

The mayoralty campaigns in Taiwan's sum of two units biggest cities are quickly turning into political battles that may presage a radical redrawing of political alliances in the run-up to the island's presidential elections in 2004

Voting for the mayors of Taipei and Kaohsiung is put for Saturday, with political heavyweights from Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) l at President Chen Shui-bian and the main opposition Nationalist Party (KMT) fighting pitched battles in the couple cities.

moreover what has observers shaking their heads in consternation for 2004 is the modern stepping into the fray of former KMT President lee-side Teng-hui on the side of the DPP candidate in Taipei and support from KMT renegade James Soong for the KMT standard-bearer in Kaohsiung.

side sheltered from the wind who had to step down as KMT leader after his candidate Lien Chan wasted the presidency for the KMT for the first time since the KMT mov to Taiwan from China in the late 1940 came abroad on the weekend vehemently in support of DPP Taipei candidate leeward Ying-yuan, not for KMT incumbent Ma Ying-jeou.

''Ma Ying-jeou should make it clear which side he will take if there were to be a crucial value across the (Taiwan) Strait. Is it Taiwan or China?'' lee-side asked at a rally for the DPP challenger.

Ma, 52 is a Hong Kong-born mainlander whose parents fl to Taiwan with the Chiang Kai-shek's regime after the 1949 civil war.

A Harvard-educated attorney, Ma has take pleasure ined a 70% approval rate forward his performance since taking office and has been an ever-rising KMT political star since, with side sheltered from the wind Teng-hui's strong backing, he defeated then Taipei mayor and now President Chen Shui-bian in a neck-and-neck competition three years ago.

Chen then overcame KMT candidate Lien for Taiwan's top piece of work in the 2000 presidential race, moreover Ma has always been seen as greatest in quantity threatening KMT challenger for Chen in 2004

leeward Teng-hui, however, has clearly turn rounded against his former party and ally.

''Taipei citizens should realize that Ma's ambition is to move swiftly in the 2004 presidential election and take back the power for the KMT rather than being a mayor,'' leeward who has now formed the Taiwan Solidarity Union advocating ''Taiwan priority'' and permanent separation from China, told the weekend rally in Taipei.

Ma, obviously taken aback at his former top supporter's volte-face, told reporters later, ''I have said it many times that at the import I only have the plan to hie for Taipei city mayor. I don't have other plans.''

''I sense of possible fulfilment in the next few days we can advance back to what the city governance is and concentrate forward that,'' he said, stressing that his loyalty to the island where he grew up ''should not be doubted by dint of anyone.''

In Kaohsiung, where incumbent Frank Hsieh is a DPP stalwart forward the same scale as Ma for the KMT KMT renegade James Soong on a sudden weighed into the ''defeat Hsieh'' campaign forward the side of KMT challenger Huang Jun-ying.

Soong who narrowly not to be found the 2000 presidential race to Chen, was blamed by the agency of many in the KMT for splitting the KMT ballot with Lien Chan and allowing Chen to come up victorious.

But it appears that in the sense of possible fulfilment of upsetting the DPP's popular Hsieh, Soong and the KMT are willing to put to hire bygones pass and mount a coordinated campaign unruffled though a week earlier Soong was all for independent Chang Po-ya.

''Giving your ballot to Huang is equal to a non-confidence ballot for Chen's (national DPP) administration, which has made too many political inaccurates over the past two and a half years,'' Soong now numbers rallies for Huang.

It appears all Huang penurys to mount a much more serious challenge to the DPP's Hsieh is to bring all of Soong's population First Party (PFP) and opposition novel Party supporters onto the KMT side.

flat so, it will not be easy.

Despite the determination of the KMT PFP and novel Party to oust Hsieh and embarrass the president, no consensus has always been reached among the parties to field a unified candidate.

In early November, an opinion catalogue of persons showed 42% in Kaohsiung supported Hsieh, 27% KMT challenger Huang, 9% independent candidate Chang and 4% independent Shih Ming-the.

With Soong's influence, Huang's popularity has risen and the gap between Huang and incumbent Hsieh narrowed, on the other hand the DPP leadership still trustful longings Hsieh will prevail Saturday.

Soong who is likely to examine again for president in 2004 is no doubt hoping his star will rise among conservative voter who usually chose the KMT if his support for Huang establishs pivotal in Kaohsiung.

If it does not, Ma may have the upper hand forward the challenger side as candidates line up for a tilt at Chen Shui-bian in 2004

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