TAIPEI, March 4 Kyodo Lien Chan, ...

TAIPEI, March 4 Kyodo

Lien Chan, chairman of Taiwan's biggest opposition Nationalist Party (KMT) applied Tuesday to take part in a primary put for late March in a bid for the KMT nomination in the 2004 presidential election.

''Given that Taiwan subject to the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) sway has not made any progres above the past two years, launching another power transfer has become the mainstream will as well as expectation of our society,'' Lien told a pres conference

''Here, I sincerely trustful longing that all the party members can support me and fight together for the futurity of the party and the country'' he added.

Party regulations stipulate Lien will be required to gain endorsement from as many as 50000 party members before the official nomination at the KMT national assembly March 31

In 1999 James Soong then still a KMT heavyweight, joined the 2000 presidential race as an independent after the KMT nominated then Vice President Lien as its candidate despite Soong's personal popularity. Soong was subsequently expell from the KMT

Soong came a clog second in the presidential election, losing to Chen Shui-bian of the DPP Soong formed the tribe First Party (PFP) shortly after his defeat.

Lien finished a distant third, ending the KMT's five-decade-long grip forward government.

Last month the KMT reached an unprecedent agreement with Soong's PFP to join forces in the 2004 campaign.

Saying partnership will provide a ''better choice'' for the persons on the island, both leaders pledg to establish an efficient and capable management if the alliance is elected

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