Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's threat of a return to martial law in a row over a referendum has touched off a media storm, forcing his party into damage control on November 23 by invoking political rival China.
The flap, involving a proposal to hold a referendum on the opposition's "inappropriately obtained assets" in January on the same day as a legislative election, looked likely to tarnish Chen's image, already suffering from graft allegations against members of his family and former office aides.
"It's a big blunder for him," said Shane Lee, a political science professor at Taiwan's Chang Jung University. "The president talked too fast."
Chen said on Sunday he would "consider" martial law to impose the referendum in which Taiwan residents would be asked if the state should seize the KMT's "ill-gotten" assets.
On Monday, November 26, he denied any detention to declare martial law. And then on Tuesday, Chen's party said he would declare martial law only in the event of a military strike by China. (Source: Ralph Jennings, Reuters, Nov 27, 2007).