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Lien to step down as KMT chairman

Laying to rest speculation, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) confirmed yesterday that he will step down from the party's top post when his term ends in August this year.

Despite calls from Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and various KMT old guard politicians in recent weeks for him to continue on as party chairman, Lien said yesterday that he intends to follow party regulations and step down in August. In fact he would even support holding elections for the post earlier than its planned date in May to avoid potential conflicts with the party's efforts in the county commissioner races at year's end, Lien said.

"According to party regulations, the new chairman will take up his duties this August. I hope that all KMT comrades will work together and follow party regulations," Lien said yesterday.

While the KMT chairman said previously that he believes it is time for a generational turnover of the party's leadership, Chinese-language media has speculated Lien might stay on, since KMT vice chairman and Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) announced his intent to run for the position earlier this month.

While Ma has been actively courting party support in recent days, Wang, seen as Ma's top contender for the post, has refrained from stating his intentions -- ostensibly to leave the position open for Lien. Only with Lien in the chairmanship post can the pan-blue camp be united, Wang has said previously.

The Taipei mayor, at a dinner last night attended by a number KMT and PFP lawmakers, said that Lien's decision did not come as a surprise to him.

"Lien just repeated what he said earlier," Ma said.
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