Word: kmt
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...only a small exaggeration to say that all of Taiwan was eyeing China last week, as a historic opportunity for better cross-strait relations played out. Lien Chan, chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), the party that's been a longtime enemy of China's Communists, touched down on the mainland for a weeklong "Journey of Peace" that ultimately brought him to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for a much anticipated handshake with President Hu Jintao. Lien, who unsuccessfully ran twice for Taiwan's presidency, hadn't been on the mainland since he left with his family...
...news coverage?because it emphasized that Taiwan was not united behind Lien's visit. "He is cooperating with the Communists to downgrade the President's legitimacy and power," she said. And Lien is not the only controversial pilgrim: next week, Hu will welcome to Beijing James Soong, a former KMT bigwig who broke away in 1999 and nowadays is head of the People First Party, the island's third largest...
...percentage of its GDP, and its armed forces have been slow to enact needed institutional reforms, according to U.S. strategic experts. A multibillion-dollar arms purchase from the U.S., pushed by President Chen Shui-bian, has been held up for almost four years because of resistance by the opposition KMT and PFP parties, which claim that the weapons are overpriced. Wu Tung-yeh, a professor at National Chengchi University's Institute of International Relations, believes the island has let its guard down. "Taiwan," he says, "will have neither will nor the ability to defend itself against China...
...loser in the island's legislative election last Saturday. Candidates from Chen's independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party and its ally, the Taiwan Solidarity Union?known collectively as the "green" camp?won only 101 out of 225 seats in the fiercely fought contest. The winner: the "blue" Kuomintang- or KMT-led opposition, which favors eventual reunification with China, managed to retain a slim majority by securing 114 seats, just one more than it previously held. KMT chairman Lien Chan emerged from his office at 8:30 p.m. wearing his biggest smile since losing a close presidential race to Chen...
...independent entity, if not in name then at least in substance. "The green will win a majority [in the legislature] because of the rise of Taiwan nationalism," predicts Luo Wen-chia, a Cabinet minister and longtime Chen aide. "It's a decision of values-Taiwan values." For the KMT, which leads the blue side, this week's ballot is a battle for survival. "If we don't keep the majority, there's nothing left," says Liao Feng-te, head of organization and development for the KMT. "We can go out on the street and throw rocks-that's about...