Polling shows viable candidate

Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang took a step closer to naming its nominee for next year's Taiwan leadership elections after polling over the weekend showed that the current "vice-president" of the legislature is a viable candidate.

The survey, conducted on Friday and Saturday to gauge how favorably voters viewed Hung Hsiu-chu and how she might fare against the opposition party's nominee, found she could win, Kuomintang Secretary-General Lee Shu-chuan said at a news conference on Sunday. The party's central committee will meet on Wednesday to finalize a roster to be put before a party congress on Friday, where a formal nomination will take place.

"I can't think of any scenario in which I won't be nominated by my party," Hung told reporters after the results were announced. "I will work harder to earn everyone's support before the national congress meeting."