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Wang stays mum on whether he'd run as independent

Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday said that he would not discount running as an independent presidential candidate, after a local media report said he might not take part in the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) primary.

The Chinese-language China Times yesterday quoted an anonymous source as saying that Wang might run as an independent because of concerns over how he might perform in the party's primary if he was competing with former KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

Wang, who is in Thailand for three days, did not deny the report when approached by the press for comment, simply saying "the possibility is still under assessment."

The speaker has not said that he would vie for the KMT's nomination for next year's presidential election, although he has made several hints about his intention to do so.

Former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) was asked to "coordinate" between Ma and Wang in a fruitless effort to head off competition between the two, as many KMT members feel a messy primary battle could damage the party's prospects for the legislative elections in December.

Ma and Wang agreed earlier this month that if either won the KMT presidential nomination, the nominee would invite the other to be his running mate, but neither has confirmed their willingness to run as vice president.

While Ma insists on holding a primary to select the KMT's presidential candidate, Wang favors reaching a deal through negotiation. Ma battered Wang in the election for the KMT chairmanship in 2005, winning the post by a wide margin.

"I will see how the coordination goes, and then make a final decision," Wang said yesterday.

In Taipei, Ma declined to involve himself in the speculation, saying only that it was too early to say what might happen as registration for the KMT primary won't be held until next month.

"My position has not changed," Ma said, adding that if he were to be nominated as the KMT's presidential candidate, he would then invite Wang to be his running mate.

In a brief statement given to mark the opening of his campaign office in Taipei yesterday, Ma reiterated that he would pursue closer relations with China and strive to root out corruption if elected.

In related news, Wang yesterday proposed "three noes" during a conversation with Taiwanese expatriates in Thailand: No change the name the Republic of China, no change in the KMT's name, and no abolishment of the Constitution.

"Only by maintaining the name of the Republic of China could both sides of the Taiwan Strait have room for negotiations and live peacefully together," he said.

He said preserving the word "Chinese" in the KMT's name would make it easier for it to deal with Chinese Communist Party after KMT regains power because the two parties both have "Chinese" in their names. Additional reporting by CNA
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