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KMT chairmanship candidates prepare for next TV forum

The front-runners in the race to head the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) made last-minute preparations ahead of today's crucial TV showdown, with next week's contest still too close to call.

Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), 54, and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), 64, are to meet in the second of two television forums meant to showcase their abilities to restore their once-dominant party to power.

The leadership elections are set for July 16.

Polls have given a slight edge to Ma.

However, Wang is the favorite of the party elite, and is believed to have the financial resources to move more people to the polls on election day -- a key factor because relatively few polling places will be open, requiring many voters to travel to cast ballots.

Ma is viewed as the standard-bearer of the KMT policy of eventual unification with China.

In recent weeks Ma has worked hard to overcome resistance by some KMT loyalists, who blame him for ending massive street protests in Taipei following the re-election of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in March last year.

The loyalists say Ma's zealousness in ending the protests undermined efforts by KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) to press home his allegation that Chen had staged a shooting incident on the eve of the poll, effectively stealing the election from him.

For his part Wang has been trying to convince the 1 million KMT members that he has no intention of foregoing the party's stance of eventual unification with China.
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