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The 13th Party Congress of the Kuomintang: Towards Political Competition?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2009

Jürgen Domes
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Extract

The Kuomintang (KMT) held its 13th Party Congress from 7 to 13 July 1988 on Taiwan. The Congress departed from its predecessors in several significant ways: a majority of its delegates had been directly elected by party members; a local-born Taiwanese was officially confirmed as Party leader; the Central Committee was elected at the Congress by secret ballot; after which it appointed its own Standing Committee, the majority of whom were local-born Taiwanese and for the first time included a woman.

Type
Research Note
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 118 , June 1989 , pp. 345 - 359
Copyright
Copyright © The China Quarterly 1989

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References

1. Based on information provided to the author by leading politicians in Taipei in March 1988.

2. A number of foreign observers doubted whether Li could retain the leadership of the party given his background as a locally-born Taiwanese and his lack of a distinct base. See, especially, Carl Goldstein, Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER), 28 January 1988, who stated “President Li unlikely to win party leadership,” p. 22.

3. Zhongshi wanbao (China Times Express) (Taipei), 30 March 1988, and Zhongguo shibao (China Times) (Taipei), 31 March 1988.

4. China Post (Taipei), 16 May 1988.

5. Central Daily News, 23 May 1988.

6. See Ying-chiu, Ma, “Explanation of the draft, study, and decision on the platform,” in Zhongguo Guomindang zhenggang (Platform of the Chinese KMT) (Taipei: KMT Central Cultural Affairs Commission, September 1988), pp. 39–43. Further information was also given to the author by Dr Ma Ying-chiu and by the director of the KMT Central Party Headquarters’ Cultural Affairs Department, Tai Jui-ming, in interviews held on 12 September 1988.Google Scholar

7. Hsiao Ch’ang-le, “The process of formulating the ‘Policy towards the Mainland at the current period’ and important explanations,” in Zhongguo Guomindang xianjie-duan dalu zhengce (The Chinese KMT's Policy Towards the Mainland in the Current Period) (Taipei: KMT Central Cultural Affairs Department, September 1988), pp. 12–14.Google Scholar

8. China Times Express, 8 July 1988 and Lianhe bao (United Daily News), 9 July 1988.

9. China Times Express, United Daily News and Central Daily News, 11 July 1988.

10. China Times Express, United Daily News and Central Daily News, 13 July 1988.

11. For details see Chaoliu (Tide Monthly) (Hong Kong), No. 18 (15 August 1988), p. 26ff.

12. The data on which this analysis is based were taken from sources in supra, fn. 10, and from personnel files kept by the author since 1976.

13. For the author's analysis of intra-party group formation within the KMT between 1980 and 1981 see his “Political differentiation in Taiwan: group formation within the ruling party and the opposition circles 1979–80,” in Asian Survey, Vol. XXI, No. 10 (October 1981), pp. 1021–1026. Note that the coalition referred to here as “reformist” is termed “moderate” in the 1981 article.Google Scholar

14. Central Daily News, China Times and China Post, 15 July 1988.

15. “Opening address by Acting-chairman Li Teng-hui,” 7 July 1988, Document of the 13th KMT Party Congress (Chinese and English versions, mimeographed). See also Central Daily News, 8 July 1988.

16. “Link the past to the future, unify and reform: the political report of Premier Yu Kuo-hua,” 7 July 1988, Document of the 13th KMT Party Congress (Chinese and English versions, mimeographed). See also Central Daily News, 8 July 1988.

17. China Times and United Daily News, 21 and 22 May 1988. See also, FEER, 2 July 1988, p. 16.

18. “The Charter of the KMT,” 11 July 1988, Document of the 13th KMT Party Congress (Chinese and English versions, mimeographed). See also, China Post, 12 July 1988.

19. Information provided to the author by Dr Ma Ying-chiu on 12 September 1988 in Taipei.

20. Zhongguo Guomindang zhenggang(Platform of the Chinese KMT) (Taipei: KMT Central Cultural Affairs Commission, September 1988. English version: Platform of the Kuomintang on China, 11 July 1988, Document of the 13th KMT Party Congress, mimeographed).

21. Ibid. p. 3ff.

22. Ibid. p. 5ff.

23. Ibid., pp 21–23.

24. Ibid. pp. 27–34.

25. Ibid. p. 25ff.

26. Ibid. pp. 17, 21, 27 and 29.

27. Ibid. pp. 35–37.

28. See full citation for the resolution in supra fn. 7.

29. Ibid. p. 3.

30. Ibid. pp. 5–7.

31. Ibid. p. 8.

32. “Manifesto of the 13th KMT Party Congress: a real solution to the problems of China, 13 July 1988. Document of the 13th KMT Party Congress (Chinese and English versions, mimeographed). See also, Central Daily News, 14 July 1988.

33. Ibid. English version, p. 5.