CPC-KMT platform resumes with Xi-Wu meeting

l  KMT Honorary Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung lead a party delegation to Beijing during June 12-14. Wu met Secretary-General of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Xi-Jinping on June 13. It was the first formal meeting between Xi and Wu since the former assumed control of the CPC during its 18^th Party Congress last October. Wu also met the chairman of China’s Political Consultative Conference (PCC), Yu Zhengsheng, on June 14 before heading home.

l  Though both the CPC and the KMT downplayed the significance behind the first Xi-Wu meeting, there was nevertheless significant attention on the event amidst rising calls for cross-Strait political talks out of Beijing. The latitude that Wu was able to exhibit at the meeting provided an early indication of changes, if any, that President Ma Ying-jeou plans to pursue on this highly sensitive but unavoidable issue.

Looking for the next political star in Taiwan

l   Taiwan's GlobalView magazine recently released the 2013 on-the-job performance survey of the island's 23 city mayors and county magistrates (please see: http://www.gvm.com.tw/webonly_content_621.html). Continuing a trend since 2010, DPP mayors and magistrates—led by Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-te and Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu—have outperformed most of those in the KMT.

l More importantly the survey numbers provided early indications of which politicians from the two parties will likely assume leadership roles in the coming years. Though it's debatable whether "a star is born," it's never too early to identify those capable of pursuing higher offices, in 2016 and beyond.

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