TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je met with Suzuki Takako, the Youth Bureau Chief of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, and her delegation on Thursday (May 2). The two sides discussed strategies to garner youth support.
Ko emphasized the need for a youthful, flexible mindset within the team to empathize with younger generations. However, he acknowledged that expanding the TPP's reach to middle-aged and older demographics remains a significant challenge.
As Taiwan's third-largest party, the TPP has become a "critical minority" due to the lack of a majority among the three parties in the Legislative Yuan. Ko stressed the importance of long-term development and sustainable management for the party. He also expressed the TPP's commitment to deepening exchanges with democratic partners internationally.
Suzuki revealed her familiarity with the TPP's activities, thanks to her past involvement with the China Youth Corps (CYC) and her following of TPP New Taipei City Councilor Jimmy Chen's Instagram. She expressed admiration for Ko's election campaign and the TPP's initiatives.
Ko also shared that he spends a significant amount of time delivering lectures at universities, both during and after the election period. "I'm always communicating with 20-year-olds," he said, emphasizing his efforts to listen to the younger generation's ideas.
After the meeting, Ko presented Suzuki with a T-shirt from his "7:30 Morning Meeting" series. Upon learning that Ko starts work at 7:30 a.m. every day, Suzuki jokingly exclaimed, "Isn't 7:30 the time to wake up?"
