The Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) 17th national convention, which opens today at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, will feature a hand-over ceremony for the party's top post and debate over the party's power structure and development
KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) will formally hand power over to chairman-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九). Ma's inauguration will immediately follow the hand-over ceremony, during which the Taipei mayor will deliver a keynote speech setting out his vision and goals for the party.
Four proposals will be discussed during the two-day convention, including amendments to the KMT's constitution, a resolution to install an honorary chairman, the appointment of five vice chairpersons as well as the selection of a new secretary-general of the party's Central Standing Committee (CSC).
The proposed amendments to the party's constitution are the most important topic facing delegates since they will affect the KMT's internal power structure.
Both Ma's supporters and those of Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Ma's supporters are pushing a proposal to extend CSC membership from one year to two. They are also expected to propose that committee members should be directly elected by the congress delegates.
The aim of the direct-election proposal to reduce the power of Wang's supporters within the party's leadership.
Under current regulations, the 1,602 party delegates are empowered to select the 210 members of the Central Committee, who in turn elect the 31 members of the CSC.
Wang said earlier this week that he thought revision of the election rules should be put off until the next CSC election next year to avoid controversy.
The elections for both the Central Committee and the CSC must be held today. The five vice chairpeople are also due to be named today. Only two of the incumbents -- Taichung Mayor Wu Po-hsiung (
Wang's supporters, however, are expected to propose that the chairman's choices for the vice chairpeople should be agreed upon by the party delegates, a move aimed at stopping Ma filling the slate with his people.
KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (
The goal is to have 800 signatures by noon today.
Wu said that, despite Wang's advice, if the new mechanism is approved, it should be put into effect immediately.
However, KMT Legislator Lee Chuan-chiao (
Wang refused to comment on the CSC reform proposals yesterday, saying that he had not contacted anyone to discuss the issue nor was he aware of Lee's proposal.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
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