Inter-party merger enters key stage

cctv.com 08-17-2005 17:24

The Chairman of Taiwan's opposition New Party, Yok Mu-ming, has announced he will head a four-member delegation from his party to run for election to the KMT's Central Committee. The poll will take place over the next two days. The move demonstrates that an organizational merger between the KMT and the New Party has entered a crucial stage.

The New Party's Lei Chien announced that she and two other party members would formally withdraw from the New Party, with immediate effect. They will join the Chairman of the New Party, Yok Mu-ming to run for election to the KMT's Central Committee...to push forward the reform of the KMT, and the merger of the two parties.

Yok Mu-ming will later meet with Ma Ying-jeou to exchange views on the upcoming KMT Representatives Congress, which runs from Thursday to Friday. They will also discuss the future arrangement of party personnel.

The New Party was formed out of a split from the then-ruling Kuomintang by members of the New Kuomintang Alliance in August 1993.

Members of the Alliance had accused KMT Chairman Lee Teng-hui of moving the party away from Chinese reunification.

Since its birth, the party has been very active in Taiwan's political sphere. It has consistently opposed "Taiwan Independence", and acknowledged the "1992 Consensus". Along with the Kuomintang and People First Party, it is one of the Taiwan region's most influential opposition parties.

Last month, after Ma Ying-jeou won the election to become the new KMT Chairman, he met the New Party Chairman, Yok Mu-ming to discuss the issue of an organizational merger between the two parties.

Editor:Wang Ping  Source:CCTV.com