President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) told Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) that he was evaluating the possibility of running in next month’s KMT chairmanship election, Wu said yesterday.
Wu told reporters that Ma said he would discuss the matter with him over the next few days.
The KMT chairman made the remarks to reporters when asked about media speculation that Ma intended to take over the helm of the party.
There has been widespread speculation that Ma is keen to double as KMT chairman, although he has been tight-lipped about his intentions.
Wu said it was natural that there would be many different opinions about the KMT chairmanship and added that he and Ma would listen to as many opinions as possible before making a decision.
“We will evaluate the positive and negative, the advantages and disadvantages,” he said. “We never give a thought to personal gain or loss. We only care about the overall situation, including how to enhance the president’s chances of being re-elected in 2012 and how to improve cross-strait exchanges.”
Wu said he was grateful to people who have offered him comfort and encouragement.
Saying he and Ma are old friends who know each other very well, Wu added that it was unlikely that they would both vie for the chairmanship.
“Only one of us will pick up a registration form on Monday,” he said.
Registration for the election opens next Monday and the vote is scheduled for July 26. The KMT is scheduled to approve the schedule during Wednesday’s Central Standing Committee meeting.
Wu said he and Ma would meet again before Monday to discuss the issue and pledged his full cooperation with the president.
During their meeting on Saturday, Wu said, they only discussed cross-strait affairs and his recent trip to China.
Asked whether KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義) were likely to step down if he decided not to run, Wu Poh-hsiung said that Wu Den-yi’s departure was not what the party needed.
Although he said he would like to retain Wu Den-yi as secretary-general if elected to another term as chairman, Wu Poh-hsiung declined to comment on his odds of winning re-election.
He urged the media not to worry about him if he decided not to contest the election.
While some have speculated that Wu Poh-hsiung might take over as head of the Straits Exchange Foundation if he were to step down, the KMT chairman yesterday said he found the implication that he coveted prestigious posts repugnant.
“Do you think I care that much about this position? I don’t,” he said.
The Chinese-language media have reported that Wu Poh-hsiung has said that he would luo tui (裸退), or “step down naked,” 衫eaning there would be no subsequent posts or honors.
Former Chinese vice premier Wu Yi (吳儀) used the same phrase when she stepped down last year.
Wu Poh-hsiung and Ma nonetheless did not raise the issue again during their weekly luncheon yesterday.
Presidential Office Public Affairs Department Director Tsai Chung-li (蔡仲禮) told reporters after the closed-door meeting that they had only discussed the progress of certain pieces of legislation Ma hoped to see pass during this legislative session.
Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長), Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) also attended the luncheon.
Meanwhile, the alleged power struggle between Ma and Wu Poh-hsiung was met with mixed reactions from KMT legislators yesterday.
KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) said that while the media seemed to be hinting at a conspiracy behind the KMT chairmanship, he believed Ma and Wu Poh-hsiung would reach a consensus on who would be a better candidate for the position.
KMT legislators Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾) and Chiu Yi (邱毅), however, said some of Ma’s close aides have been fueling rumors of a power struggle.
Declining to give names, they urged Ma to get rid of the culprits.
“Wu [Poh-hsiung] has told me that he was saddened by the wrangling,” Chiu said.
KMT Legislator Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) said it would be unfair for the president to remove Wu Poh-hsiung as chairman after all his contributions to the party and the nation.
“Wu has also made it clear that he would not accept any reward [for his contributions],” Ting said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG
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