In fact, Taiwan's main parties-the KMT and the DPP as the two major parties, with the New Party as a noteworthy but limited third force-all understand the implications of James Soong's powerful candidacy very clearly. They know that this election is not only a struggle for political office, but even more is a critical moment that may decide whether their respective parties develop, split up, or disappear.
其實包括國民黨、民進黨與新黨在內的台灣三個主要政黨，也早在宋楚瑜參選態勢明朗化之後，便洞悉選舉背後的政黨政治意義，所以各政黨都不只將這場選舉視為政權之爭，更將其視為是政黨發展，甚至分裂、存亡的關鍵，總統選舉也成了政黨生存的保衛戰。