Clashes as Taiwan mulls recount

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<IMG alt=发贴心情 src="skins/default/topicface/face1.gif" border=0>        <BR><B style="FONT-SIZE: 14px">TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Angry protesters have stormed the headquarters of Taiwan's Central Election Commission as it formally declared President Chen Shui-bian the winner of Saturday's disputed poll.</B>



Demanding a recount, dozens of opposition supporters hurled eggs, smashed windows and clashed with riot police in an attempt to break through a security cordon.


Meanwhile, China issued a warning that if Taiwan's political crisis dissolves into chaos, "we will not sit by and watch idly." (<A href="http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/03/26/taiwan.china.ap/" target="_blank" ><FONT color=#000099>Full story</FONT></A>)


In Taipei Friday, a sea of white-helmeted police outnumbered the protesters, estimated to be about 100.


Demonstrators, chanting "we want the truth," pushed against the plastic shields of police, who tried to keep them outside the commission building.


Some protesters were able to get past, while others remained outside and egged the building.


One demonstrator sustained a bloody eye, and another older man appeared to have fainted. One protester could be seen receiving CPR treatment.


As demonstrators were protesting, lawmakers gathered to thrash out legislation that could call for a speedy recount of the disputed election vote.


Taiwan's law does not allow for a recount, even if the margin of victory is narrow.


Opposition legislators were considering several proposals to change the law and allow for a recount.


Friday's legislative meeting raised hopes the election controversy and ensuing political crisis might be resolved soon.


Chen won the March 20 poll by a razor-thin margin of 0.2 percent. His challenger, Lien Chan, demanded a recount and pushed to nullify the vote.


Lien says the vote was marred by irregularities, and he claims an assassination attempt on the eve of the vote that left the president and Vice President Annette Lu slightly injured unfairly influenced the outcome.


With little details about the shooting available, Lien has demanded a full explanation of the incident before the election results can be accepted.


The opposition's claims have brought thousands of protesters to the streets, demanding a recount.


Ballot boxes have been sealed and the matter is before Taiwan's court. But it could take several months before the matter is resolved through the judicial process.


Chen's Democratic Progressive Party is pushing for a bill that would trigger a recount should the winning election margin be less than 0.5 percent. The legislation would be applied retrospectively to Saturday's vote.


The DPP says the bill would allow a quick recount, but the opposition KMT Nationalist Party has been at odds with lawmakers -- who came to blows earlier this week when discussing the legislation.


On Friday a compromise seemed likely. The DPP proposal calls for the Central Election Commission to hold the recount, overseen by prosecutors.


The KMT proposal is similar, but it wants the recount to be done by election officials and judges and completed within 30 days.


An agreement on the legislation may go towards ending the political uncertainty that has gripped Taiwan and prompted concern from China and the United States.


The capital Taipei was bracing for a massive weekend rally from KMT supporters to protest the election and demand an independent investigation into the shooting.


Though the government has tried to debunk widespread speculation the shooting was somehow staged, many in Taiwan are still suspicious.


&lt;!--startclickprintexclude--&gt;
<DIV style="ADDING-BOTTOM: 10px" align=left>&lt;!--===========IMAGE============--&gt;<IMG height=168 alt=story.crossroads.afp.jpg src="http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/03/26/taiwan.recount/story.crossroads.afp.jpg" width=220>&lt;!--===========/IMAGE===========--&gt;
<DIV class=cnnStoryCaption align=left>&lt;!--===========CAPTION==========--&gt;Taiwan is at a political crossroads.&lt;!--===========/CAPTION=========--&gt;</DIV></DIV><IMG height=1 alt="" src="http://i.cnn.net/cnn/images/1.gif" width=10>&lt;!--endclickprintexclude--&gt; Photos have been released of Chen and Lu's injuries and the medical attention they received.



And it was reported on Friday that Taiwan police were seeking a balding man who was caught on a security camera as he ran from the scene of the assassination attempt. (<A href="http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/03/26/taiwan.suspect.reut/index.html" target="_blank" ><FONT color=#000099>Full story</FONT></A>)


The political crisis is also being closely monitored in China.


China's Taiwan affairs office released a statement Friday saying that if the Taiwan situation "dissolves into chaos and causes social unrest, endangering the lives and property of the Taiwanese compatriots and causing instability in the Taiwan region, then we will not sit by and watch idly."


Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade island that must eventually be reunited with China.


Chen has been pushing for more formalized recognition of the island's independence from China -- a position that aggravates Beijing.


Beijing fears Chen, with a new electoral mandate, could cross the red line by re-writing Taiwan's constitution to legally establish the island's independence.


And even if a ballot recount finds Chen the winner by a narrow margin, Beijing will still believe he has no popular mandate.


Fair or not, that may make it difficult for Chen to govern effectively in Taiwan and to make peace with China.



<DIV class=cnnStoryContrib><I>CNN Senior Asia Correspondent Mike Chinoy contributed to this report</I></DIV>