Taiwan's Ma resigns as KMT chairman  

马英九辞国民党主席

Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou stepped down as chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party on Wednesday.

Ma made the announcement at the meeting of the party's Central Standing Committee.

The island's deputy leader Wu Den-yih who ranks first among the KMT's seven vice chairpersons, will serve as the acting chairman. Hung Hsiu-chu, who ranks third among the vice chairpersons, will serve as the acting KMT Secretary-General, replacing Tseng Yung-chuan.