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Hou Yu-ih advocates ’middle way’ for Taiwan’s future
Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih emphasizes a "middle-of-the-road" approach for Taiwan, distancing himself from the "localized Blue" faction and asserting his own identity. In an interview with Chinese Television Service (CTS), Hou advocates for the "1992 Consensus" that opposes Taiwan’s independence and supports the "One-China policy," while upholding democracy and freedom. He emphasizes a middle way for Taiwan, seeking shared prosperity and unity. Hou emphasizes that Taiwan’s future should be determined by its 23 million inhabitants. He expresses satisfaction with Jaw Shaw-kong as his running mate, praising Jaw’s more confrontational approach. Although a potential collaboration with Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) candidate Ko Wen-je fell through, Hou remains optimistic about a potential alliance with Jaw.
2023/12/18 20:04
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TPP candidates challenge DPP stronghold with massive rally
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je and running mate Cynthia Wu held their first joint rally in Tainan, the stronghold of their opponent, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te. The rally drew over 10,000 people, challenging the DPP’s traditional voter base. Ko criticized the DPP’s inaction on illegal constructions, questioning Lai’s leadership. Wu, with a professional industry background, positioned herself as the only vice presidential candidate with such expertise.
2023/12/18 19:52
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Taichung heats up as DPP, KMT, TPP rally for votes
On "Super Saturday" in Taichung, three groups of candidates rallied to support their respective parties’ legislative contenders ahead of Taiwan’s 2024 presidential and legislative elections. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim campaigned tirelessly for her party’s legislative candidates, while Kuomintang (KMT) vice-presidential hopeful Jaw Shaw-Kong attended back-to-back events supporting Chiang Chi-chen and Yen Kuan-heng. The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) also made a strong showing, with Tsai Pi-ru, TPP’s first district legislative candidate in Taichung, gathering an impressive lineup of supporters including Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-ye, former Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu, and TPP’s presidential candidate Ko Wen-je.
2023/12/16 17:33
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Ko Wen-je: 70% in Taiwan reject KMT return to power
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je asserts that while 65% of people in Taiwan desire a political party turnover, there is also a 70% majority that opposes the Kuomintang (KMT) being in power. Ko highlights that around 70% of Taiwanese do not want the KMT to assume office, countering media reports on potential strategic voting effects. He suggests conducting further polls to determine the number of people who want the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to step down and those who do not wish for the KMT to take power. Ko cites Vivian Huang’s victory in the 2022 Taipei mayoral election as evidence of a true third force in Taiwanese politics. During his visit to Kaohsiung, Ko is campaigning for Tseng Yin-li, the party’s sole legislative candidate in southern Taiwan.
2023/12/16 16:00
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Tainan police bust NT$6.55M election betting ring
Tainan police have arrested six individuals involved in a gambling ring on a Facebook group, which was taking bets on the 2024 General Election outcomes totaling over NT$6.55 million. The case has been handed over to the Tainan District Prosecutors Office for investigation under several acts, including the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act, the Money Laundering Control Act, and the Anti-Infiltration Act. The ring recruited bettors on Facebook to place wagers on various outcomes related to the forthcoming elections, including potential collaborations between political parties and candidates such as Lai Ching-te, Ko Wen-je, Hou Yu-ih, and Terry Gou. The Tainan City Police Department Criminal Investigation Corps initiated the investigation after spotting the illicit activity online and tracked down suspects across multiple locations. The investigation has revealed that the gambling funds were being converted into Tether (USDT), a popular cryptocurrency stablecoin, by unidentified individuals abroad, and transferred to other gambling organizations, potentially violating election-related gambling laws.
2023/12/15 18:16
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Ko maintains 20%+ support in TPP’s poll: Huang Shan-shan
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je’s campaign director, Huang Shan-shan, released the party’s latest internal poll on Tuesday, December 12. The poll showed that Ko’s support has remained above 20% and expressed their determination to continue working hard. According to the poll, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidates, Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim, lead with a support rate of 34.3%. Ko Wen-je and his running mate, Cynthia Wu, have garnered 24.5% support, while the Kuomintang (KMT) candidates, Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shaw-kong, are slightly behind with 22.9%. The poll also revealed that undecided voters and other candidates make up 18.3% of potential voter sentiment. Huang criticized some polls as tools of political manipulation and emphasized the authenticity of the TPP’s internal polling data. The survey, conducted on December 9 and 10, interviewed 1,217 respondents, with 857 respondents contacted via landlines and 360 respondents polled through mobile phones.
2023/12/12 21:30
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Ko Wen-je reverses stance on heavy motorcycles on freeways
Presidential candidate Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party has shifted his stance on allowing heavy motorcycles on national freeways. Previously, he promised to open the freeways to heavy motorcycles if elected, but now suggests that if the majority opposes it, the government should amend the law accordingly. This change comes in response to public opinion polls showing that 60% of people are against the policy change. Ko cited discussions with the Drivers Union, which strongly opposes the idea, due to safety concerns such as an increase in accidents and fatalities. Additionally, Ko proposes eliminating the two-stage left turn system for motorcycles and having motorcyclists line up behind cars at traffic signals. He believes that the decision on left turns should be based on the number of lanes on the road, taking into account the specificities of different roadways.
2023/12/12 20:06
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Ko Wen-je rejects de-Sinicization of Taiwanese culture
Taiwan People’s Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je opposes the removal of Chinese culture from Taiwanese society, expressing concern that future generations may not be able to differentiate between historical figures like Zhang Fei and Yue Fei. During a press conference on transportation policy, Ko emphasized the inappropriateness of completely separating contemporary society from Chinese culture. He specifically mentioned revered figures in religious beliefs, such as Mazu, Guan Gong, Baosheng Emperor, and The Third Prince, who primarily originate from China. Ko also responded to a statement by DPP former legislative speaker You Si-kun, defending the concept of a "sense of honor" with a history spanning over two millennia.
2023/12/12 13:34
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Ko Wen-je criticizes rivals’ silence on policy questions
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je criticizes Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Kuomintang (KMT) rivals for avoiding his questions, suggesting their silence indicates a lack of confidence. Ko expresses frustration over DPP candidate Lai Ching-te and KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih not responding to his questions during a live broadcast. He boldly offers to leak debate topics in advance, giving opponents time to prepare. Ko mocks their silence, implying guilt and predicting public curiosity. Additionally, he challenges the DPP and KMT to disclose internal polling data for transparency.
2023/12/11 21:26
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KMT head touts DPP’s narrow lead in latest polls
Kuomintang Chairman Eric Chu announces a narrow margin of 0.2% between the KMT’s Hou-Kang ticket and the DPP’s Lao-Hsiao ticket in the latest internal polls. Chu expresses confidence in the KMT’s ability to gain ground against the DPP. He defends the rights of non-ruling parties in Taiwan’s democratic system and criticizes attempts to confiscate opposition parties’ assets by the Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee. Chu challenges TPP candidate Ko Wen-je to assist in returning assets to retired party workers. Chu responds to Ko’s labeling of KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih as "pro-unification in a hurry with China" by asserting that anyone not supporting independence is unfairly tagged as pro-unification by the DPP.
2023/12/11 20:45
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Ko-Ying ticket’s surge to 3M votes stuns in Taiwan polls
The latest presidential poll reveals that the Ko-Ying ticket of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) is projected to secure between 2.535 million to 2.726 million votes. My Formosa Chairman Wu Tzu-chia described these numbers as "terrifying." The Lai-Hsiao ticket of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is estimated to receive a vote share of 40.6 percent to 42.7 percent, translating to 5.534 million to 5.820 million votes. The Hou-Kang ticket of the Kuomintang (KMT) is expected to garner 38.6% to 39.6% of the vote, amounting to 5.261 million to 5.398 million votes. The Ko-Ying ticket is anticipated to achieve a vote percentage of 18.6% to 20.0%. Wu emphasized that TPP’s presidential candidate Ko Wen-je holds nearly 3 million votes, which could influence the election’s outcome. Ko’s popularity surged after launching the ’KP Show,’ causing DPP candidate Lai Ching-te’s polling numbers to decrease by nearly two percentage points from 40%. Wu acknowledged the remarkable shift of young voters aligning with Ko Wen-je instead of the KMT.
2023/12/11 20:07
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Taiwan’s CEC draws ballot numbers for presidential race
The Central Election Commission (CEC) held a draw to determine the candidate numbers for the ballots ahead of Taiwan’s presidential election. The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP)’s Ko Wen-je and Cynthia Wu drew number one, while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s Lai Ching-teh and Hsiao Bi-khim will be number two. The Kuomintang (KMT) duo Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shaw-kong secured the number three spot. The lottery drew numbers in the order that parties registered for the election: DPP, TPP, then KMT. The official list of presidential and vice-presidential candidates will be announced on Dec. 15. Several televised policy presentations, a vice-presidential debate, and a presidential debate are scheduled leading up to the election.
2023/12/11 17:12
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TPP campaign chief unveils strategy shift amid Ko’s decline
Taipei (TVBS News) — Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) campaign chief Vivian Huang suggests that TPP presidential candidate Ko Wen-je should ignore daily critiques from traditional media to improve his lagging poll numbers ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Ko’s support has significantly declined, and veteran media person Huang Wei-han advises him to stop blaming institutional effects, fake news, and media blackouts, and instead acknowledge the deficit in the race. Former legislator Shen Fu-hsiung predicts that Ko may receive as little as 12% of the vote and suggests that the TPP might secure only six seats in the Legislative Yuan. However, Vivian Huang counters the negativity by emphasizing that internal polling for the TPP shows their support at around 20%. She advises against focusing on negative press and poll results from traditional media platforms, advocating instead for a concentrated effort on promoting and implementing the party’s own policies.
2023/12/11 12:15
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TPP trails in polls with 27.6% against DPP’s 29.9%
The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) announced that its presidential candidate, Wen-je Ko, and running mate, Cynthia Wu, received 27.6% support in the latest party polls. The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim led the race with 29.9% backing, with 50.1% of respondents believing they would win the election. The Kuomintang (KMT) duo of Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shaw-kong trailed behind with a 24.3% support rate, and 17.9% predicted their victory. In terms of party support, the KMT led with 26%, followed closely by the TPP at 25.7%, and the DPP lagging at 23.5%. The poll had a confidence level of 95.0% and a margin of error of approximately ±2.75%, based on a valid sample size of 1,216 people. The sampling method targeted adults over 20 across all 22 counties and cities, with landline samples sourced from Chunghwa Telecom’s directory and mobile numbers generated randomly.
2023/12/09 17:12
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KMT’s Jaw decries campus access inequity for campaign
Jaw Shau-kong, the Kuomintang (KMT) vice-presidential candidate, criticized the lack of access to university campuses for his campaign activities, claiming that this privilege was given to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) before his candidacy. He was previously invited to speak at National Tsing Hua University, National Chiao Tung University, and Chinese Culture University, but these engagements were later canceled by the universities. Jaw believes that nurturing university students’ interest in democracy is important and plans to speak at various higher education institutions, aiming to facilitate exchanges with students from at least five schools. His first campus speech will take place at his alma mater, Taichung First Senior High School. KMT presidential nominee Hou Yu-ih and DPP rival Lai Ching-te have also engaged with the student electorate, participating in youth forums and delivering speeches at various universities. People First Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je has also been invited to speak at universities, highlighting the trend of presidential and vice-presidential hopefuls engaging with students across Taiwan.
2023/12/09 16:14
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TPP’s Ko’s wife dares DPP to sue over Taipei Dome claims
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je’s wife, Peggy Chen, openly challenged the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on December 9th, expressing her willingness to face legal consequences if sued. Chen’s challenge followed her questioning the integrity of the Premier and the Minister of the Interior on Facebook, alleging their deliberate obstruction of the approval process for the Taipei Dome project during Ko’s tenure as Taipei City Mayor in October of the previous year. During an event in Taichung City’s Dali District, Chen boldly stated, "If the DPP wants to sue, then sue me!" She emphasized that her information came directly from Ko himself and assured that she had made efforts to verify the claims. When asked about the recent decline in Ko’s support according to polls, Chen simply responded, "Just keep working hard."
2023/12/09 16:07
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KMT’s Hou Yu-ih vows to overhaul ’108 Curriculum’ if elected
KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih has promised to review the controversial 108 curriculum if elected, in response to concerns from parents, students, and educators. He plans to reinstate the National Conference on Education, which has not been held in 13 years, to reassess the curriculum. The curriculum has been criticized as "shameless" by a teacher at Taipei First Girls High School, sparking societal debate. Former President Ma Ying-jeou has supported the criticism, urging the Ministry of Education to urgently review and improve the curriculum. DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te has a different perspective, arguing that textbook publishers consider teachers’ opinions and that this should not be equated with curriculum issues. TPP presidential candidate Ko Wen-je has stated his opposition to de-Sinicization in education and believes in recognizing the cultural continuum. The approaches of each candidate on educational reform will be important considerations for voters in the upcoming election.
2023/12/09 15:58
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DPP decries false media claims on presidential debates
The spokesperson for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te’s campaign office expressed regret over inaccurate and malicious media reports about the upcoming presidential debates. The spokesperson demanded corrections from outlets that claimed certain media were favored during the debates and alleged a coalition aiming to gang up on fellow candidates Hou Yu-ih and Ko Wen-je. It was emphasized that the decision for 11 media organizations to jointly host the debates is a longstanding practice resulting from two rounds of negotiations without interference from any campaign offices. The spokesperson also highlighted misinformation circulated by China Times, one of the debate co-hosts, despite its involvement in the meetings. The 2024 presidential election debates are scheduled to be held at Public Television Service (PTS) on December 30 at 2 p.m., with the vice presidential debates tentatively scheduled for January 1, 2024, also at 2 p.m. The 11 media entities collaboratively organizing the debates include Central News Agency (CNA), China Times, Liberty Times, United Daily News, SET News, Taiwan Television, Formosa Television, Chinese Television System (CTS), Mirror Media, TVBS News, and Public Television Service. PTS will produce and broadcast the debates, including comprehensive sign language services for the hearing impaired.
2023/12/09 15:34
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DPP’s Lai, Hsiao lead KMT rivals by 5.2 points in poll
The recent ETtoday poll reveals that the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim are leading the race in Taiwan’s upcoming election, with 39% support. This puts them slightly ahead of the Kuomintang (KMT) candidates Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shaw-kong, who are trailing by 5.2 percentage points. The survey also shows a decrease in support for the Taiwan People’s Party’s (TPP) Ko Wen-je and Cynthia Wu, the Ko-Wu ticket, from 19.6% to 18.1%. Despite these shifts, the DPP’s Lai and Hsiao maintain a tangible lead over their KMT and TPP competitors. As the election approaches, all parties are actively campaigning to secure their political future in Taiwan. The poll was conducted on Dec. 6-7 and targeted residents of Taiwan who are at least 20 years old. The survey had a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.77%, with 1,251 valid respondents.
2023/12/09 13:53
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Taiwan election campaign yet to kick off: TPP’s Ko Wen-je
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je declared that the election outcome remains uncertain and that the race will transform into a civic movement. Ko argued for amendments to the Assisted Reproduction Act, expressing concern that only the wealthy would be able to afford assisted reproduction procedures abroad. He hinted at a grassroots approach for the upcoming election, drawing parallels to the Sunflower Movement. Ko revealed his campaign staff’s advice to conduct rolling polls and release new results daily. Given the TPP’s limited campaign budget, Ko mentioned opting for cost-effective alternatives such as studio rentals for live streams and recordings. University students suggested Ko should be more cautious with his public remarks and intensify flash campaign events, but Ko reassured them with a message of mutual perseverance.
2023/12/07 21:08
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Ko Wen-je slams rivals for dodging presidential debate
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je criticized his opponents for delaying the upcoming presidential debate, stating that there’s no need for it to be like the Roman Colosseum, but also no need for deceit. Ko expressed confidence that the TPP still had a chance to turn the tide in the election and suggested that current data indicated a situation ripe for an upset. He criticized his opponents’ debate strategy as one of delay and avoidance, aiming to strip the debate of any real conflict.
2023/12/07 20:46
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Ko Wen-je claims KMT hopefuls secretly seek his nod
Taiwan’s People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je has revealed that despite restraints from the Kuomintang (KMT), some of the party’s legislative candidates have sought his endorsement in videos that are expected to be released in the final three days before the election. In an exclusive interview with TVBS, Ko disclosed that KMT candidates have been defying the "Ko prohibition order" and seeking his support through video recordings. While Ko claimed to have assisted these candidates, he did not specify who they were. He suggested that these candidates are unlikely to reveal his endorsement until the last three days of the election campaign.
2023/12/07 19:57
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DPP leads over KMT, TPP trails in latest poll
A new poll conducted by Formosa Magazine shows that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket of Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim is leading with 40.1% support, followed by the Kuomintang (KMT) duo Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shaw-kong with 31.6%. The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) pair Ko Wen-je and Cynthia Wu received the lowest support at 14.8%. The survey also revealed that 3.3% of respondents would not vote or cast an invalid vote, and 10.2% were undecided. The poll shows a slight increase of 1.8 percentage points for the Lai-Hsiao alliance, a 0.2 percentage point rise for the Hou-Jaw ticket, and no change for the Ko-Wu ticket compared to the previous poll. In terms of party governance preferences, 35.3% favored the DPP staying in power, while 29.1% supported a handover to the KMT, and 13.3% were in favor of the TPP. Additionally, 47% disagreed with the idea of voting for the opposition party with the highest level of support to remove the ruling party, while 41.1% agreed. The poll interviewed 1,201 Taiwanese citizens aged 20 and above across 22 counties and cities using computer-assisted telephone interviewing from Dec. 4 to Dec. 6. The confidence level was at 95% with a maximum sampling error of ±2.8%.
2023/12/07 19:47
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Ko Wen-je warns of DPP win if KMT-DPP clash
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je criticizes a return to the clash between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), arguing that it would result in a victory for the DPP. Ko’s comments were made during an agriculture policy press conference, as support for KMT candidates Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shaw-kong grows in polls. Ko questions whether Taiwan truly desires a return to a polarized political axis and highlights that 60% of the population supports maintaining the status quo. He appeals to the youth demographic to consider moving away from the blue-green divide and towards a new political and cultural era.
2023/12/07 19:03
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DPP’s Lin slams Taipei mayor, offers ’disdain’ placard
DPP Councilor Lin Yen-feng accuses Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an of disrespecting the council and presents a "disdain for the council" placard. Lin criticizes the Taipei City Government for the controversial NT$190 million associated with the Taipei Music Center and holds former Mayor Ko Wen-je accountable. Chiang threatens legal action if the Ministry of Culture withholds payment. The Taipei City Council’s Education Committee passes a resolution allowing the city government to cover the disputed amount temporarily.
2023/12/07 17:46