Taipei, Sept. 14 (CNA) The ruling Kuomintang (KMT) held its annual national congress in the southern city of Chiayi Sunday to drum up support for the party in the Nov. 29 elections for city and county government chiefs and representative assemblies.

President Ma Ying-jeou, who concurrently serves as chairman of the KMT, led the party's 23 mayoral and magistrate nominees into the venue and shook hands with each attendant.

The event brought together many of the party's heavyweights, including its honorary chairmen Lien Chan and Wu Poh-hsiung, its honorary vice chairman Lin Feng-cheng, Vice President Wu Den-yih, Legislative Yuan speaker Wang Jin-pyng and Premier Jiang Yi-huah.

During the congress, the KMT is also expected to retroactively confirm the appointments of Wu Den-yih, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin, New Taipei Mayor Eric Liluan Chu and Taichung Mayor Jason Hu as the party's vice chairmen.

(By Kelven Huang and Y.F. Low)
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