TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Sean Lien (連勝文) announced his decision to resign as vice-chair and director of the National Policy Foundation (NFP), Kuomintang’s (KMT) official think tank, in a long letter posted on Facebook on Tuesday (Aug. 17).
Lien began his letter by saying he believes the key to maintaining cohesion within the KMT is to remain impartial when handling party affairs, and he encouraged other party members to adhere to this principle. Lien also voiced his support for KMT Chair candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫), whose experience he approved and whose ideals matched his own, according to UDN.
In his letter, Lien said the NFP had predicted the scarcity of vaccines in Taiwan last year, and repeatedly alerted the party of this during meetings. He accused some KMT members of being too complacent or confused and even brainwashed by the "Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) cognition tactics.”
In response to the letter, KMT’s current secretary-general Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said he had a discussion with Lien over the phone regarding his resignation, and that he respects Lien's choice.
Earlier this year, Chiang had invited Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) to attend a forum held by the think tank without Lien’s knowledge, reported CNA.
After Lien heard about the invitation last minute, he immediately protested the decision, but to no avail. He believed that it was unwise for the NFP to associate itself with Ko when the relationship between KMT and Ko’s Taiwan People’s Party was still uncertain.
The KMT said the think tank had been involved throughout the planning of the forum.
