Immediately after Mr Lee, who is also KMT chairman, had delivered a welcoming statement to the congress, he convened its first session - a meeting to determine the procedural rules of the congress.

Delegates of the ''non-mainstream'' faction, critical of Mr Lee's political ''localisation'' policies and firm leadership style, questioned the rules proposed by KMT Deputy Secretary-General Hsieh Shen-shan.

The major conflict came on procedures to handle requests to speak at plenary sessions by the 2,100 delegates.

The proposal offered by the KMT headquarters, reflecting mainstream views, required advance registration on the day before the relevant session, with a limited number of speakers (and their order) being determined by a random draw.

Non-mainstream members wanted a simple first-come, first-served system by which the order of speakers would be set by the order of registration.

Local observers noted that this method could give the minority a chance to filibuster through mass registration.

Overseas delegate Tai Chi attacked the lottery system as violating the party's charter granting the right of speech to party delegates. But the issue was promptly called to a vote, despite the objections of legislator Wei Yung and others.

Of the 1,776 delegates in attendance, 1,232, or more than 69 per cent, voted in favour of the mainstream proposal.

Non-mainstream delegates also attacked the system of ex officio representatives, by which 700 government officials, members of the Legislative Yuan and National Assembly, and some provincial and local assembly members received credentials as party delegates by virtue of their positions.

They claimed that the arrangement was undemocratic and stacked the deck in favour of Mr Lee's allies.