ABSTRACT
Chiang Ching-kuo’s departure came at a critical time for the party and the people of Taiwan. Chiang’s willingness to consider ways to reform the national assembly, legislative yuan, and control yuan, and growing discussion surrounding the procedure for electing the president and vice president of the republic, the governor of Taiwan, and mayors of Taipei and Kaohsiung, worried some older party stalwarts. The New Alliance believed the Chinese Democratic Reformers Alliance had alienated Taiwanese voters because of its mainland Chinese zeal. Lee Teng-hui’s agenda for the party congress was far more ambitious than those of previous party congresses. Despite getting the central standing committee’s nod to serve as party chairman, Lee’s appointment could be overturned at the party congress if party conservatives were able to convince the central committee to vote against him. The party congress cemented many of the goals Lee set-out to accomplish.
