Taipei, June 20 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Wednesday that the government will do its utmost to wage clean legislative and county magistrate elections in December.
He made the remarks while meeting with members of the legislative group known as the "Reform Society" headed by opposition Kuomintang Legislator Chen Hsueh-sheng.
The president said that he will play a dual role in the upcoming elections by campaigning for candidates of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and trying to eradicate "black gold" and vote-buying.
He noted that the elections, the first since the DPP took over the government in May 2000, are deeply connected with the island's future political stability and economic and social developments.
During the meeting, the president echoed Chen Hsueh-sheng's view that "for the sake of the welfare of the people of Taiwan, we should pay more attention to the economy than to politics."
He said this was the reason he proposed establishing a cross-party "economic development advisory conference" to help resolve the pressing economic problems.