Hsieh: New constitution, name in 5 years | KMT: BS

Hsieh said in an interview last night on Talking Show at Taipei main station today that his goal if elected would be to complete a new constitution and altering the nation's name (presumably to Taiwan) within a five year period if elected. Since Taiwan is already a sovereign and independent country (a position Maddog notes that 88% of Taiwanese support), Hsieh said this would in now way alter the status quo.

Hsieh has recently promised the US there would be no independence referendum, arguing that since Taiwan is independent the only referendum needed would before unification.

Hsieh argued 5 years would be needed because it would probably take another legislative election where the DPP could get 3/4 of the seats in the legislature to pass a new constitution (like that's gonna happen).

The KMT called the campaign promise a lie meant to garner votes, and pointed out that Hsieh wouldn't promise to make the changes within four years (the KMT states Hsieh would violate his "no independence" promise to the US if he pushed for it to happen within four years).

Meanwhile, China has reported the development with surprising speed, though they state "Hsieh did not clearly explain how a new constitution and name would not change the status quo." So far, no comments have successfully been posted in that article's discussion section.

謝長廷：未改變獨立現狀 (CNA@UDN)
五年正名制憲？國民黨：謝長廷騙選票手法 (CNA@Yam)
谢首度抛出"正名制宪"时间表 称当选后5年完成 (People's Daily)

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I personally think this sounds like a way for Hsieh to support a name change and a new constitution without having to push it because it's not a real practical possibility in the short term. The KMT might be right on that level.