PRESIDENT MA YING-JEOU TO RESUME KMT CHAIRMANSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 000683 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2019 TAGS: PGOV TW SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MA YING-JEOU TO RESUME KMT CHAIRMANSHIP Classified By: AIT Acting Director Robert S. Wang, Reasons: 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (U) President Ma Ying-jeou and KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung held a joint press conference on June 10 to announce that Ma will run, and Wu will not, in the upcoming party chairman election. Ma said he made the decision to run for chairman not to expand his power, but to bear full responsibility, fulfill his campaign promises, and strengthen the implementation of national policies. Ma pledged to promote KMT reform and unity and also to facilitate closer cooperation between the government and the KMT to help Taiwan overcome the current economic crisis. Ma praised Wu's contributions to the development of cross-Strait RELATIONS and expressed gratitude to Wu for his support and encouragement over the years, especially after he was forced to step down from the chairmanship two years ago. (Note: Ma was elected KMT chairman on July 16, 2005. He stepped down on February 13, 2007, after being indicted for misuse of special mayoral funds as Taipei City mayor, charges on which he was later cleared.) ¶2. (SBU) Candidates can pick up registration forms for the KMT chairman election on June 15-16. Registration will take place on June 25-26, and party members will vote for the next chairman on July 26. Ma likely will run unopposed. The new chairman will take office on September 12, the date of the 18th KMT party congress. Before leaving office, Wu Poh-hsiung is scheduled to head the KMT delegation to the July 10-13 KMT-CCP cross-Strait forum in Changsha, China, which will be devoted to discussing cultural and educational exchanges. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) Ma and Wu will hope that today's joint appearance will help put an end to weeks of POLITICAL gossip that suggested Ma was forcing Wu out against Wu's will, and that Wu was angling for another position as compensation for stepping aside. Despite his claims to the contrary, Ma clearly is moving to increase his POLITICAL power, hoping to bring the KMT apparatus under his control and also to increase his clout with KMT legislators, who have not always fallen in line with the president's wishes. Ma's decision will attract some criticism since Ma previously criticized President Chen Shui-bian for taking up the DPP chairmanship, and Ma told a media interviewer in March 2008 that he would not run in the next KMT chairman election. Some KMT officials without close links to Ma will be concerned about their future career prospects. In resuming the KMT chairmanship, Ma is taking on additional POLITICAL risk since he could become a target of criticism over potential problems in KMT performance, for example, possible corruption scandals or election setbacks. Ma's POLITICAL style could also be a complicating factor. He has tried to keep himself clean by staying above the fray of POLITICAL deal making, and many of his advisors have similar backgrounds and only limited grassroots POLITICAL experience. WANG