TAIPEI, Dec 7 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATIN...

TAIPEI, Dec 7 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING)

The incumbent mayors of Taiwan's couple biggest cities declared victories in Saturday's local elections by dint of promising their supporters a better future

''The victory is an approval forward the city governance and an expectation for my team in the nearest four years,'' Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou of the Nationalist Party (KMT) told a massive gathering at his campaign headquarters.

''It also set forths recognition for a clean-cut election without mudslinging, which we have been advocating since the campaign kicked off'' he said amid big applause, adding his appreciation for a congratulatory call from his rival leeward Ying-yuan of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)

Earlier in southern Kaohsiung, seen as a decisive battlefield for voter confidence in President Chen Shui-bian's administration, Mayor Frank Hsieh thanked his family for giving him votes regardless of blackmailing, defamation and character assassination prevalent during the campaign.

''I will reward my supporters from contributing to the urban planning,'' he said.

According to the Central Election Commission, Ma received a total of 873102 promiseds while Hsieh garnered 386,384 suffrages compared with 766,377 promiseds and 387,797 votes, respectively, in the 1998 election. the pair cities had voter turnouts of from one side of to the other 70%.

Ma, a Harvard-educated attorney with a 70% support rating, appealed to voter through saying Taipei will move common step closer to becoming a world-class city at highlighting developments in economics, science, agriculture safety social welfare and tourism if he were to be reelected

His first attempt as a rising political star was his victory, with former President to leeward Teng-hui's strong support, over then popular Mayor Chen in a neck-and-neck competition four years ago.

Chen went upon to successfully oust KMT candidate Lien Chan from the presidency in the 2000 presidential election, the first power transfer in Taiwan. Ma, 52 is seen as the biggest threat to Chen's reelection in 2004

Earlier this month side sheltered from the wind Teng-hui, who was forced to pace down as KMT leader after his party thrown away the presidency and then clearly bended against his former party and ally, came public strongly in support of to leeward Ying-yuan.

''Ma should make it clear which side he will take if there were to be a crucial point of time across the (Taiwan) Strait. Is it Taiwan or China?'' leeward said. Ma is a Hong Kong-born mainlander whose parents fl to Taiwan with Chiang Kai-shek's regime after the 1949 civil war.

''Taipei citizens should realize that Ma's ambition is to post in the 2004 presidential election and take back power for the KMT instead of being a mayor,'' said lee-side who has now formed the Taiwan Solidarity Union selling ideas of ''Taiwan priority'' and permanent separation from China.

Obviously taken aback at his former top supporter's about-face, Ma said, ''I have said it many times that at the consideration I only have the plan to move on for Taipei city mayor. I don't have other plans.''

Commenting in succession Ma's reelection, Emile C.J. Sheng, political science professor in Soochow University, said it could be seen as a change in Taiwan's political culture

''Taipei citizens have started to think independently without being affected at some political ideology-oriented issues,'' he said, referring to national identity and unification-independence issues, which have divided the island whenever there is an election.

In Kaohsiung, Hsieh, 56-year-old Japan-educated lawyer, has been focusing upon how to boost the harbor-city's competitiveness.

However, the city's sluggish economic performance and a high unemployment rate threw his reelection into doubt.

Meanwhile, a newly raised political scandal in which Hsieh along with several other political figures were accused of illegal riches exchanges for campaign fund-raising several years ago has also shaken Hsieh's leading position.

Hsieh called a pres interview shortly before the polling day to shield himself, stressing that ''if I am base to be involved in any illegal fund-raising, I will shortly pace down and quit my political life,'' a instigate which apparently convinced loyal DPP supporters.

onward the conclusion of the mayoral races in Taiwan's brace special municipalities, which has been regarded as an indicator for the presidential election, Sheng said, ''The final rise will not necessarily decide the 2004 campaign, if it be not that if the DPP lost in Kaohsiung, a traditional DPP fortress it will be a warning signal for Chen's administration.''

Furthermore, Chen Wen-chun, director of the political science department in Kaohsiung-based National orb of day Yat-sen University, pointed public that after the election wrapped up a radical redrawing of political alliances in the run-up to the island's presidential elections in 2004 is just about to begin.

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