PFP plans to back KMT's candidates for mayoral races

The PFP will support the KMT's candidates in the Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral races, the KMT said yesterday.

The KMT plans to field incumbent Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in the race for Taipei mayor. In Kaohsiung, the KMT plans to nominate Huang Chun-ying (黃俊英), a former deputy mayor of that city.

"I plan to meet PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) to discuss the issue of jointly nominating candidates for the year-end mayoral election," KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) said yesterday.

The KMT plans to formally nominate Ma at its weekly Central Standing Committee tomorrow.

Because Lien plans to travel abroad beginning on Thursday, he has asked party officials to contact the PFP within the next two days to arrange a meeting between him and Soong.

In addition to Huang, other KMT members hoping to get the party's nod to run in Kaohsiung have included Huang Chi-chuan (黃啟川), speaker of the Kaohsiung City Council, and Yao Kao-chian (姚高橋), former director-general of the National Police Administration.

But KMT headquarters recently revealed to the media that Huang Chun-ying would be the party's choice to run for Kaohsiung mayor.

Lin Feng-cheng (林豐正), KMT secretary-general, also told reporters yesterday that the PFP has promised to support the KMT's mayoral candidates in Taipei and Kaohsiung.

"I have to reiterate: The only way to beat the ruling DPP is successful cooperation between the KMT and the PFP," Lin said yesterday.

Though apparently out of the running, Huang Chi-chuan -- who was physically attacked by pro-DPP supporters and hospitalized in Kaohsiung last month -- said yesterday he was still determined to win his party's nomination.

The city council speaker paid a visit to Pan Chia-sen (潘家森), head of the KMT's Kaohsiung headquarters, to pitch himself as the party's best choice.

"We could feel his determination at the meeting," Pan said.

"I think negotiations for the final decision should take place at central party headquarters," the party official said.