Once a dominant political force, Taiwan’s main opposition party has lost in the past two presidential elections largely because it has fostered closer ties with China. Now, facing voters concerned by Beijing’s aggression on the island, the KMT is pinning its hopes on a new type of candidate: a popular local leader. with a blank answer to the China conundrum.
The Kuomintang, or KMT, on Wednesday nominated Hou Yu-ih, 66, a two-term mayor of New Taipei City and a former police chief who has tried to take a neutral stance in the Kuomintang. the island’s relationship with China. Mr. Hou delivered his bid with a rallying call.
“We must unite to win, especially at this time when our country is facing a fierce and dangerous international situation,” Mr. Hou said after announcing his nomination.
His candidacy set the stage for a tight race next January, which could chart a new direction for Taiwan in the great power confrontation between China and the United States and reshape tensions around the Taiwan Strait, one of the main points of conflict. The most dangerous heat in the world. Under the seven-year leadership of President Tsai Ing-wen of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan has come under increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China and has been pushed back by strengthening ties with the United States.
Within the Kuomintang, Mr. Hou is seen as a capable and widely charismatic administrator who “will generate the least amount of controversy within the party, is in line with society’s general expectations, and is able to the highest probability of winning in the presidential election,” said Huang Kwei. -Bo, professor of international relations at National Chengchi University and former deputy secretary general of the Kuomintang.
Mr. Hou’s nomination puts him against Lai Ching-te, the ruling party’s candidate and current vice president. A victory for Lai could mean China’s continued policies to exclude Taiwan from any high-profile engagement, as well as Taiwan’s continued closeness to the United States. A victory for Hou and the KMT could reopen channels of communication with China and ease military tensions, potentially reducing pressure on Taiwan to strengthen ties with Washington.
Mr. Hou faces stiff competition from Terry Gou, the founder of iPhone and electronics maker Foxconn, who has failed despite holding rallies around the island to lobby for his inclusion. nominations. Analysts say Mr. Gou’s lack of political experience and business interests in China make him an unlikely candidate for the Kuomintang.
The Kuomintang in recent years has fight for balance its pro-China tendencies with Taiwanese people’s sour feelings for Beijing. That juggling act has been complicated by Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong in 2019 and its massive military exercises around Taiwan. The ruling DPP has positioned itself as a defender of Taiwan’s sovereignty and democracy, and has pointed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an example of the urgent threat of authoritarian expansionism.
But the Kuomintang scored big last year, dominating nearly two-thirds of contested local mayoral elections, races where geopolitics matter less than money matters. Mr. Hou was easily re-elected mayor and has since topped numerous party polls for the candidate.
Unlike most politicians in Taiwan, Mr. Hou started his career as a police officer in the 1980s. He rose through the ranks and was the key investigator of the 2004 case. . assassination plot against President Tran Thuy Bien. In 2006, Mr. Chen’s government promoted Mr. Hou to the position of commander of the island’s police force, the youngest officer ever to take up the role.
When he turned his attention to politics in 2010, he shook hands with Eric Chu, then the mayor of New Taipei City. Mr. Hou served as deputy mayor under Mr. Zhou and succeeded Mr. Zhou as mayor in 2018. Mr. Chu is currently chairman of the Kuomintang.
Hou’s supporters in New Taipei City say he takes practical actions to improve people’s lives. Jax Chen, a 28-year-old non-profit worker, gave the example of Mr. Hou’s attempt to turn a massive decades-old landfill into green park space.
“In Taiwan’s political landscape, it seems like people are talking too much,” he said. “But if there is a pragmatic, policy-enforceable person, I believe it will be very good and people will be willing to accept that person.”
Hou’s views are less established on major geopolitical questions such as how Taiwan should shape its relationship with China and the United States. China claims Taiwan as its territory, to be taken back by force if necessary, and accuses the DPP of seeking formal independence. The Kuomintang has asserted that it has the best chance of engaging China and avoiding war.
In an apparent attempt to thread the needle, Mr. Hou has said that he has both opposed Taiwan’s independence and the “one country, two systems” formula proposed by China to take over Taiwan. The stance avoids the two extremes but leaves open a large number of possible views on the question of the existence of cross-strait relations.
Paul Chao-hsiang Chu, a professor of politics at National Taiwan Normal University, said his lack of clarity on his stance towards China has been criticized by some observers. party politics and voter behavior.
Liao Da-chi, an emeritus professor of political science at National Sun Yat-Sen University, said that at the same time, Mr. Hou’s secrecy could make him more attractive to central voters. dung. That is the opposite of Han Kuo-yu2020 Kuomintang presidential candidate who delivered fiery speeches and pledged to restore closer ties with China but lost in a landslide for the President of Thailand.
Bonnie Glaser, a Taiwan expert and executive director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said that in general, Hou had very little interaction with the United States. Hou said he has met with officials at the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto embassy of the United States, at least eight times. But US congressional delegations to Taiwan since it reopened have been unable to meet him.
As Beijing raises tensions in the Taiwan Strait, the Kuomintang’s exposure to China sometimes puts it in an awkward position.
Earlier this year, like President Tsai travel to the United StatesMa Ying-jeou, former president of Taiwan and an influential leader in the Kuomintang, heading to China on an informal trip. Mr. Ma was criticized in Taiwan for bowing to China during his ill-timed visit. (In retaliation for Ms. Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the US, China sent record number of military aircraftas well as naval ships and an aircraft carrier, near Taiwan to conduct military exercises.)
“To win the election, the KMT must convince the people that voting for them is a safer and more promising option for achieving peace,” said Dr. Chu. “At the same time, how to convince the people of Taiwan that they will not betray Taiwan or allow China to completely swallow up Taiwan’s sovereignty is a significant challenge for the KMT.”
