Home>News Center>China
       
 

Ma promises to promote KMT-CPC exchanges
By Xing Zhigang (China Daily/Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-07-18 05:30

On Saturday, Ma defeated "parliament speaker" Wang Yin-pyng, 64, in the party's first two-way direct elections for the chairmanship since its foundation in 1894. He is scheduled to take over from Lien in mid-August.

Ma won 72.4 per cent of votes against Wang's 27.6 per cent, with turnout of 518,324 voters from the party's one million members.

"When I become the chairman of the KMT I will lay out a comprehensive plan of reform which will enable the KMT to win back power in 2008," Ma told a news conference at Saturday night after the result was announced.

But the Hong Kong-born Ma stopped short of saying he will run for office himself, adding that the party can decide who it wants to be its contender at a later date.

With handsome, clean-cut looks and a Harvard law degree, Ma enjoys high popularity in the northern capital of Taipei. Many supporters see him as the opposition's best, and perhaps only, hope of wresting power back from the DPP.

Like Lien, Ma is a strong advocate of the KMT's policy of eventual unification between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland, and has vowed to follow the path of Lien. Throughout his election campaign, Ma criticized the DPP's pro-"independence" policies and insisted an independent Taiwan is not an option.

Yin Cunyi, deputy director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Tsinghua University, said Ma's support for the one-China principle and opposition to "Taiwan independence" is conducive to maintaining Lien's cross-Straits policy.


Page: 12



Taiwan braces for typhoon, markets shut Monday
Giant Panda tours city
Bus crash kills 17, injures 37 in Hubei
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

Top LNG ship takes shape in Shanghai

 

   
 

Ma promises to promote KMT-CPC exchanges

 

   
 

French giant VE sees wealth from waste

 

   
 

Experts: China's century is taking shape

 

   
 

North Korea nuclear talks to start July 26

 

   
 

Obesity targeted in national ruling

 

   
  Top LNG ship takes shape in Shanghai
   
  Obesity targeted in national ruling
   
  Fans queue early for new Harry Potter book
   
  Major road accidents kill 41, injure 74
   
  New rules still curb pre-marital sex
   
  Poisoned dumplings kill 4, leave 8 sick
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Ma elected KMT new leader; Hu congratulates him
   
Taiwan's opposition KMT votes to elect new chief
   
Lien calls for cross-Straits cooperation
   
Lien Chan: Taiwan, mainland can enjoy prosperity
   
Hu-Lien meeting raises hope for cross-Straits relations
   
CPC, KMT agree to further economic coop
   
Lien takes historical bus to make "journey of peace"
  News Talk  
  It is time to prepare for Beijing - 2008  
Advertisement