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KMT to hold party congress

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will hold its 17th party congress on Saturday, and is expected to finalize the appointment of five top Cabinet members as designated Central Standing Committee (CSC) members to enhance cooperation between the party and the government.

The five designated CSC members will be appointed by KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and approved by party delegates during the congress. The five members will be top Cabinet members, however officials in independent bodies, such as the Financial Supervisory Commission, will not be selected, KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義) said yesterday at party headquarters.

Wu Den-yi said the five Cabinet members were likely to begin attending the CSC’s weekly meetings within two weeks. One more CSC member will be selected by the party’s youth commission.

The appointment of CSC members this year contradicts President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) previous effort to make the CSC more transparent. When he took over the chairmanship in 2005, he pushed for direct elections for the top decision-making body.

Before the party lost power to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2000, government officials made up half of the committee as “designated members” appointed by the party chairman. Other CSC members were elected by about 200 Central Committee members.

The party is expected to approve the appointment of two KMT vice chairmen during the congress. Wu Den-yi declined to confirm speculation that Wu Poh-hsiung will nominate Chiayi Mayor Huang Ming-hui (黃敏惠) and Taoyuan County Commissioner Chu Li-lun (朱立倫).
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