Word: liens
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When James Soong left the Kuomintang (KMT) prior to Taiwan's 2000 presidential race, he essentially handed the election to Chen Shui-bian and his upstart Democratic Progressive Party. Soong, running as an independent, outpolled the KMT's nominee, then-Vice President Lien Chan, 36.8% to 23.1%. Chen, however, took 39.3%, putting an end to more than 50 years of KMT rule. But three years in the political wilderness seem to have thawed the friction between Soong and Lien, and?on Valentine's Day, appropriately enough?they announced that they would join forces against Chen in the next election...
...will one ticket accommodate the competing egos of Soong?who heads the People First Party?and Lien? Early indications are that Lien would be the presidential candidate, and Soong his running mate. "I don't mind what my position will be," says Soong. Some analysts see this as a wise display of pragmatism from a former governor whose popular support isn't what it used to be. "Soong is a political realist," says National Taiwan University political scientist Lu Ya-li. "He knows that the PFP isn't ready to rival...
...challenge to Chen come 2004. His DPP has never polled more than half the votes in a national election, and his term has been marked by an anemic economy, record unemployment, and an ineffectual legislature. Still, he has solid support in certain quarters, especially the south. What's more, Lien is an uninspiring campaigner and neither opposition party has yet articulated a compelling vision for Taiwan. Soong, of course, could still break off his engagement to Lien. But for now, the man who'd like to be king has once again positioned himself to play kingmaker...
...youthful 52, is coy about his plans, and he's got some limbering up to do within his party before he can think of a run. KMT Chair-man Lien Chan stood for election in 2000 and did badly, scoring 23% of the vote, but he might run again. KMT defector James Soong also has presidential ambitions, and he nearly beat Chen in 2000 as a third-party candidate. If Soong runs, Ma's support would be split. "If there are two sets of can-didates," Ma tells TIME, "we will only repeat the defeat of two years...
...Party members are scrambling to undo some of the more recent damage. Lien, the chairman, told reporters in Taipei recently, "we hope to begin building a new image." Step one is to blunt President Chen's latest attack. On Sept. 25, Lien pledged to put the party's assets into a foreign-managed trust fund. In addition, he said the KMT would be willing to hand over to the government 110 parcels of land and 42 buildings, worth a total of $23 millionthat it says were "gifts" from generous benefactors. Lien dismissed allegations that the assets were illegally acquired...