HONG KONG -- The Taiwan legislature is discussing the politically charged proposal of adopting a referendum law to allow important policy issues, such as whether to build a nuclear power plant, to be decided by the island's 23 million people.
On Saturday, President Chen Shui-bian expressed his support for the enactment of such a law in his capacity as chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. The DPP caucus is expected to mobilize support to put the sensitive issue on the legislative agenda.
Proponents of the law argue that as a democracy, Taiwan should give its citizens the ultimate right to make decisions on major issues.