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Speculation mounts that Ma will choose academic

Speculation mounted yesterday on former National Taiwan University president Chen Wei-jao's (陳維昭) chance of becoming Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) running mate.

Ma declined to confirm the rumor yesterday and insisted that he would make a formal announcement of his running mate before the KMT begins its 17th Party Congress tomorrow.

The delegates are scheduled to approve Ma and his choice of running mate as the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates for next year's election.

"The answer will be out by Sunday," said Ma, who had canceled his public schedule for yesterday to prepare for his speech to the congress.

Ma spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) would not say whether Ma had discussed the running mate issue with former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday.

ETTV reported Ma had decided on Chen because of his background as an academic, reputation within the medical profession and Taiwanese ethnicity.

Ma has said he hoped that his vice presidential candidate would be an ethnic Taiwanese who would be constructive for Taiwan and a "refreshing" choice for the public.

Ma began his search for a new running mate after Wang turned down Ma's invitation on May 31 to be his vice presidential candidate.

Ethnic Taiwanese with good reputations in industry or academia, such as Jason Lin (林蒼生), Uni-President Group CEO, Acer Group founder Stan Shih (施振榮), former vice premier Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) former Academia Sinica vice president Ovid Tzeng (曾志朗) and former premier Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) have also been named as possibilities.

Wang dismissed speculation that Ma had informed him about his decision on a running mate. But he said having Chen would also help win support in central Taiwan, where Chen is from.

Additional reporting by Flora Wang
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