TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je on Thursday (Dec. 7) lamented the failure of establishing an alliance with the Kuomintang (KMT), stating that his medical background and inherent trust in others have put him at a disadvantage in the political arena, where he has been blindsided by betrayal.
Ko, whose popularity has recently slipped to third place in various media polls, conceded that the mishandling of the breakup with the KMT led to his declining support.
Reflecting on the three-way talks between the KMT, TPP, and Terry Gou, Foxconn's founder, Ko expressed disappointment that his counterparts insisted on releasing information on the spot during the meeting, which he interpreted as an act of sabotage against their collaboration.
Ko criticized KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih for reading a text message aloud during the meeting, characterizing it as a deliberate act unbecoming of his station.
Despite the acrimony, Ko hinted at the potential for future cooperation with Gou, acknowledging that the two sides have maintained contact for policy collaboration.
In particular, Ko praised Gou's think tank on finance and economics for its excellent work, revealing that his team has consulted and even adopted numerous economic policy suggestions directly from Gou's proposals.
The TPP leader emphasized the focus on policy partnership at this stage, with his team consistently engaging with Gou's staff, suggesting that despite the political turbulence, paths toward collaborative governance remain open between the two camps.
