Vowing to continue reform efforts so the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will win the 2008 presidential election, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took over the helm of the party yesterday, while his supporters pushed through proposals to reform the KMT's power structure.
Accepting the party's flag from predecessor Lien Chan (
"Today's society depends on the KMT to monitor the government as a strong opposition party and to maintain peaceful cross-strait relations," Ma said in his inauguration speech to the 1,600 delegates gathered at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei.
PHOTO: FANG PING-CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
"It is the KMT's mission and my challenge to transform the party into a clean and decent party," he said.
Ma outlined seven reform goals in his speech, including cleaning up the party's asset problems by 2008, pushing for pan-blue unity, expanding the party's base and grassroots connections, and deepening democracy within the party.
Ma praised Lien for the contributions he made to the party as chairman, including allowing a direct election for his successor, and for working to improve cross-strait relations.
He also thanked Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) for running "a gentlemen's race" in the KMT chairmanship election last month.
In his farewell address, Lien thanked party members for their support during his five-year tenure, during which he said he was devoted to reviving the party's soul and spirit. He encouraged his fellow cadres to rejuvenate and reform the party.
"Our popularity among the public had risen to more than 60 percent in a recent survey. I urge all of you to keep the torch passed down by Sun Yat-sen (孫中山), offer voters a different choice, and hopefully win back power in 2008," Lien said.
Many of the delegates, including Lien's son Lien Sheng-wen (
The KMT's "Chairman Ma era" got underway yesterday afternoon when the delegates passed a proposal to allow them to directly elect the party's 31 Central Standing Committee (CSC) members. The motion was carried by more than 856 delegates. The CSC vote will be held today.
The delegates also gave their approval to Ma's nominees for four vice-chairperson posts: incumbents Taichung Mayor Wu Po-hsiung (吳伯雄) and Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤), as well as Lin Cheng-chi (林澄枝) and John Kuan (關中). A total of 952 delegates raised their hands to support the appointments.
A proposal to amend the KMT's constitution to extend the terms of CSC members from one year to two was rejected. Other constitutional amendments that passed included abolishing an article which stipulates that members who are disciplined or expelled cannot be candidates for the Central Standing Committee or party chairman.
The article is generally considered to be aimed at People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), who was expelled by the KMT for running as an independent against Lien in the 2000 presidential election. The amendment was designed to help push for integration of the pan-blue alliance.
As most of the motions put forward by Ma's supporters were passed -- the direct election of CSC members and keeping CSC tenure at one year -- it is believed that the Taipei mayor has enhanced his power within the party.
Today the delegates will elect the 210 members of the party's Central Committee and then elect the 31 CSC members from among those 210 people.
Meanwhile, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sent a congratulatory message Ma yesterday, according to a Beijing-based Xinhuanet report.
The message expressed hope that both sides will also oppose Taiwan independence to safeguard peace in the Strait and create a win-win situation for both sides across the Strait.
Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), the CCP's secretary-general, also sent a message to Lien to congratulate him for serving as the KMT's honorary chairman, the report said.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS