Sources: All Taipei Newspapers

 

July 16, 2015

 

During yesterday’s meeting of the KMT Central Standing Committee (CSC), KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) announced the expulsion of five party members, including Chi Kuo-tung (紀國棟), a legislator-at-large, Chang Sho-wen (張碩文), a former KMT legislator, Lee Ching-yuan (李慶元), a Taipei City Councilman, Yang Shih-chiu (楊實秋), a former Taipei City Councilman, and Lee Po-jung (李柏融), a KMT Central Committee Member.  Chu stated that the party expelled the five party members because they harmed the party’s reputation and interests.

 

Chu stated, “You can change boats, but you cannot defame the party” a couple of days ago.  Chu added that ‘very few’ members of the party  who held elective offices viciously defamed the party or tried to split the party in the media or on many public occasions, so the Central Standing Committee had no choice but to expel them from the party.

 

In addition, revisions of the party platform were completed during yesterday’s CSC meeting.  The revisions incorporated views from President Ma Ying-jeou, Chairman Eric Chu and KMT presumptive Presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱).  The revisions clearly incorporated into the party platform the “1992 Consensus,” “one China, different interpretations,” “maintaining the status quo of no unification, no independence, no use of force under the framework of the Republic of China Constitution.” The revisions will be referred to the National Party Congress, scheduled to be held on July 19, for deliberation and confirmation.