Opposition lawmakers came out in support of Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen May 26 after she described the Republic of China as a government in exile.
Tsai made the statement Tuesday May 25 at the presentation of a book about Taiwan's international status. The same day, the DPP officially confirmed the announcement that she would be running for mayor of Xinbei City in November elections.
The government and the ruling Kuomintang reacted furiously. KMT spokesman Su Jun-pin said that if Tsai and the DPP did not accept the Republic of China and only saw it as a government in exile, what kind of government did they run when they were in power from 2000 to 2008.
The Presidential Office said Tsai's comments were not fitting for an opposition party. Her statement had dealt a blow to a consensus about the Republic of China which had taken a long time to reach, said presidential spokesman Lo Chih-chiang. Tsai's description was negating the country's sovereignty and independence and its Constitution while also belittling the previous DPP administration in which she served, Lo said. (Source: Taiwan News, May 27, 2010).