Speculation emerged yesterday that Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) is planning to run for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairmanship following next month’s presidential and legislative elections, as he was scheduled to host a dinner for several KMT leaders.
Wu was to host a banquet at Taipei’s Grand Hotel last night in his capacity as KMT presidential presidential candidate Eric Chu’s (朱立倫) honorary campaign director.
Invited guests included President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) Eric Chu, his campaign director Jason Hu (胡志強), Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國), Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), former National Security Council secretary-general King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) and Executive Yuan Secretary-General Chien Tai-lang (簡太郎).
Other KMT top officals reportedly on the guest list, include KMT Secretary-General Tseng Tung-chuan (曾永權), former KMT chairmen Lien Chan (連戰) and Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄), as well as former KMT secretary-general Liao Liou-yi (廖了以).
In an interview yesterday with the Central News Agency, Wu said that the he held the banquet to bring everyone together and exchange opinions on the KMT’s campaigns.
However, Hung, who is also rumored to be vying for a top KMT role following next month’s elections, yesterday said that she could not attend the event for personal reasons.
“I already have plans for tonight. When we received Vice President Wu’s invitation, my office told him I had to take a leave of absence,” Hung said.
Asked whether the dinner was part of Wu’s efforts to pave the way for his potential KMT chairmanship bid, Hung said Wu was holding the banquet in his capacity as Chu’s honorary campaign director, adding that she believed his motive was to mobilize people for the party’s presidential and legislative campaigns.
“Do not read too much into this,” said Hung, who was replaced by Chu as the KMT’s presidential candidate in October.
It has been customary for leaders of the KMT to step down after defeat in elections.
Ma resigned from his post as KMT drubbing in the nine-in-one local elections in November last year, while Chu has also pledged to hand over the party’s helm should he be defeated in the presidential election.
On the sidelines of a news conference held in Taipei to unveil his agricultural policies, Chu yesterday afternoon shrugged off speculation surrounding Wu’s motives for hosting the event.
“Society is marred by too many conspiracy theories. We have been talking about holding a dinner since my campaign headquarters were established [on Dec. 5]. Vice President Wu was merely charged with sending out invitations,” Chu said.
Chu said the event was meant to unite everyone to campaign for the party.
Hu said that people have become too sensitive in the run-up to the elections.
As for whether the banquet was held to help mend relationships between some KMT leaders, Hu said they are already friends.
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