Hsieh made the statement to reporters while visiting a sit-in protest of Chinese suppression in Tibet by Tibetan residents in Taiwan and local human rights organizations at the Liberty Plaza yesterday evening.

Asked whether he would resign the DPP chairmanship today in the wake of his electoral defeat, Hsieh stated that the submission by the party chairman of his or her resignation in the case of electoral defeat "is a good tradition in the DPP."

Although he acknowledged that "since the party will elect a new chairperson May 25 and there are different views, I will submit my resignation."

"I hope the DPP will quickly stand up as most people in our society, regardless of whether they are DPP members, do not want to see the DPP burst like a bubble and thus cause society to lose a valuable force for checks and balances," said the defeated DPP standard-bearer, who added that "no matter what position I am in, I will continue to be concerned" with the future of the DPP.

In addition to Hsieh's decision to resign, several other DPP leaders have stated that they will not be candidates for the chairperson race, including Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄), former DPP chairman Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃). Earlier yesterday, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) officiated over a news conference announcing the mass entry of 157 persons from all walks of life into the DPP held at the DPP headquarters in Taipei City.

Lu related that she would no longer participate in the Central Standing Committee after May 20, when she will step down from the vice presidency and thus lose her ex-officio seat on the DPP policy making body. "However, I will remain a life-long DPP member," the vice president affirmed.

After arriving at the site of the Tibet protest, Hsieh bowed to a picture of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan political and religious leader, and greeted Tibetan and Taiwanese supporters who were meditating and chanting.

The DPP acting chairman signed a scroll calling for freedom in Tibet and purchased a "Free Tibet" T-shirt emblazoned with the flag of the Tibetan government in exile and received a briefing on the current situation in Tibet and plans for global protest from the Tibet Religious Foundation of The Dalai Lama secretary Sonam Dorjee before talking with reporters.

The DPP acting chairman related that the Taiwanese people have just completed a democratic election and enjoy freedom and human rights and stated that "we hope the people of Tibet and of mainland China can also enjoy democracy and freedom."

Hsieh told reporters that he decided to visit the protesters and "express my concern and let our society realize that the Tibetan problem still exists."

"We hope that we can use all possible methods to allow international society to enter Tibet and carry out investigations" of the current situation, Hsieh said.

The DPP leader noted that plans are underway for an event on March 31 that would "allow us to show our concern for Tibet" and stated that Taiwan "should respect the decisions and free will of the Tibetan people."

Moreover, Free Tibet spokesperson and Taiwan Labor Front secretary-general Sun You-lien told The Taiwan News that members of Taiwan's Tibetan community and supporters in local human rights groups will engage in a fast Friday and Saturday and will hold a march protesting PRC suppression and "state terror" in Tibet on March 31, which is a global day of action to "Free Tibet."