The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Central Standing Committee yesterday approved the nominations of former Taichung mayor Jason Hu (胡志強), former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and Minister Without Portfolio Lin Jung-tzer (林政則) as the party’s vice chairmen.
The nominations were made by KMT Chairperson Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) before being referred to the committee for approval at an afternoon meeting.
Hung also nominated National Cheng Kung University associate political science professor Huang Ching-hsien (黃清賢) as her special consultant and KMT Mainland Affairs Department director, while appointing former Taipei 2017 Universiade Office director Chiu Da-chan (邱大展) as head of the party’s Administration and Management Committee.
Following approval of his nomination, Hau, who had previously considered running against Hung in a by-election for the KMT’s chairmanship in March, pledged on Facebook to push for the betterment of the KMT and Taiwan.
“Assuming a party leadership position means duty and obligation, what really matters is not my job title, but rather whether the KMT needs my assistance and what I can do for the party and the nation,” Hau said.
It is not the first time Hau has served as deputy head of the party. He was first nominated by then-KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in April 2014 and appointed to the post again by Ma’s successor, New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫), in January last year.
Hau followed in the steps of Chu and resigned after the KMT’s disastrous failure in the Jan. 16 presidential and legislative elections.
Hu, who currently serves as Want Want China Times Group vice chairman, was also appointed as KMT vice chairman by Ma in April 2014.
However, he resigned from the post in January last year after Ma stepped down as party leader in the wake of the nine-in-one local elections in November 2014, in which the KMT also suffered a landslide loss.
Lin served two terms as Hsinchu mayor and as a legislator.
Under the KMT charter, the party’s chair can nominate a number of vice chairs and their nominations have to be approved in a party national congress.
However, the nominations for vice chairmen by a KMT chair who is elected in a by-election only require the approval of the party’s Central Standing Committee.
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