Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's promotion of a "referendum" on the island's entry into the United Nations in recent months has been criticized as a method to seek personal interests.

Wu Yi, a scholar with Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, made the comment in his article published on Saturday, noting that Chen's disregard of people's call for peace and strong opposition from international community will jeopardize cross-strait stability seriously.

Taiwan authorities sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in July, raising an application to join the United Nations in the name of "Taiwan." Meanwhile, Chen Shui-bian has been pushing for a plan to hold a "referendum" inside Taiwan on its entry to the United Nations.

One of the reasons why Chen has promoted the "Referendum" by all means despite opposition is to seek protection of himself and his family after retirement, Wu said.

Since 2006, Chen's favorites, son-in-law, wife and himself have been involved in several corruption scandals. No matter if the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) could hold the power in Taiwan in 2008, Chen will lose judicial immunity and will face several law suits.

As a result, Chen desperately seeks protection from "Taiwan Independence" forces, including the "referendum", to avoid judicial punishment after his retirement, the scholar said.

Moreover, Chen Shui-bian, an infamous power fanatic, want to use the "referendum" plan to maintain his political impact on DPP and deal with a ever worst political crisis after mass rally to oust him held by opposition party last year.

For the DPP, Chen's "referendum" plan could be used to diverse attentions of public voters for the election of the island in 2008 from DPP's poor economic and social achievement after coming into power.

The DPP could also use the plan to attract more votes from independence forces to compete with the opposition Kuomintang Party in the election, the scholar said.

Wu Yi refuted Chen Shui-bian's "referendum" plan for alleged "public opinion" of 23 million Taiwan people. Chen's promoted the plan just to conceal his political incapacity and corruption, Wu said.

The scholar also pointed out that the "referendum" plan is another move to seek "de jure Independence" and has been regarded as an important method to realize "Taiwan Independence" by the DPP.

Although most of the Taiwan compatriots have been indifference to the "referendum" plan on the island's entry into the United Nations, however, Chen and DPP's move will definitely bring endless harm to the society in the island, and the stability and development of across-strait relations, Wu said.

(Xinhua News Agecy September 16, 2007)