The Central Standing Committee of Taiwan's Nationalist Party, the main opposition party, Wednesday approved a plan to merge with its major ally the People First Party (PFP).

Nationalist Party Chairman Lien Chan, who officially put forward the plan, said at the meeting it's imperative for the two parties to walk from cooperation to merger to cope with the future political scenario.

Lien said he and PFP leader James Soong would form a working group to discuss and push forward the merger.

The two parties formed an alliance in the previous election of Taiwan leaders.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2004)