Taipei: Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou on Sunday nominated Premier Wu Den-yih as his running mate for next year`s presidential polls.
The presidential ticket is expected to be formally endorsed by the China-friendly ruling Kuomintang party during a national congress June 25.
"I want to use today`s press conference to announce that Premier Wu will be my running mate in the next presidential elections," Ma said in Taipei.
Ma, who has focused on improving ties with China since taking office in 2008, will take on Tsai Ing-wen, the island`s first ever female presidential candidate, of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The election will be held in January with the winner taking office in May 2012.
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since the end of a civil war in 1949 but Beijing still sees the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
Ties were strained while the DPP was in power but have improved markedly since Ma took office and began promoting trade and tourism with the mainland.
Bureau Report
