Taipei, July 24 (CNA) Kuomintang (KMT) vice chairmen John Chiang and Chan Chun-po will lead party delegations to the national conventions of the Republican and Democratic parties in the United States later this year, before the November presidential elections in that country, party sources said Tuesday.

The KMT will be represented at the Republican National Convention by Chiang, who is also vice chairman of the International Democrat Union, a worldwide alliance of center-right parties.

His delegation will include KMT Deputy Secretary-General Lin De-rui and lawmakers Ting Shou-chung and Lin Yu-fang.

Meanwhile, Chan will attend the Democratic National Convention at the head of a delegation comprising lawmakers Lai Shyh-bao, Fai Hrong-tai, and Chan Kai-chin and top adviser at the KMT International Affairs Center King Pu-tsung.

The opposition Democratic Progressive Party and Taiwan Solidarity Union will also be represented at the conventions, while the People First Party is still considering who to send, according to local media reports.

The parties have been invited by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as is customary.

The conventions are usually held every four years for the two major parties in the U.S. to formally select their candidates for the presidential elections, which will be held Nov. 6 this year.

The Republican convention will take place in Tampa, Florida Aug. 27-30 , while the Democratic party's will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina Sept. 3-6.

During their visit to the U.S., KMT officials will also call on members of think tanks, academics, political heavyweights and representatives of Taiwanese expatriate communities, party sources said.

(By Lee Shu-hua and Scully Hsiao)
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