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KMT Chairman Eric Chu. CNA photo Oct. 30, 2021
Taipei, Oct. 30 (CNA) The Kuomintang (KMT) is determined to defend democracy and the Republic of China -- the formal name of Taiwan -- under the party's new policy platform, which opposes Beijing's proposal of "one country, two systems," said party chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) Saturday.
The KMT will not let its guard down against any efforts to undermine the ROC constitution, democracy, freedom, and rule of law from either the Chinese Communist Party or the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Chu, who became KMT chairman last month after winning a party race, told party members in his speech delivered at the party's first meeting of its 21st National Congress.
It was held at the party headquarters in Taipei, while local representatives of party members around the country took part via video links amid the ongoing COVID-19 Level 2 alert.
"One country, two systems" refers to an arrangement proposed by Beijing for Taiwan in which the latter would be part of the People's Republic of China but retain its government, military, and several other institutions. Hong Kong and Macau are run under this arrangement.
During the meeting, the party's top decision-making body passed a new policy platform titled Chiayi City Mayor Huang Ming-hui. CNA photo Oct. 30, 2021
Chu named his three deputies during Saturday's meeting -- Chiayi City Mayor Huang Ming-hui (黃敏惠), former Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) chief Hsia Li-yan (夏立言), and Sean Lien (連勝文), who lost the Taipei mayoral election in 2014 and is the son of former Vice President Lien Chan (連戰).
According to Ling Tao (凌濤), head of the KMT's Culture and Communication Committee, Huang is familiar with party affairs because she had been a deputy chair between 2008 and 2016, while Hsia's previous experience as deputy foreign minister, deputy defense minister, and then the MAC chief, will be helpful in dealing with international and cross-strait affairs.
Lien has been working in youth affairs for a long time and has held posts in the party and in a think tank affiliated with the KMT, Ling added.
The National Congress also approved the appointment of former Taitung County Magistrate Justin Huang (黃健庭) as the party's secretary-general.
Former KMT chairmen attending the meeting at the KMT headquarters include former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), former Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄), and Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣).
(By Wang Cheng-chung, Liu Kuan-ting and Kay Liu)
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