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KMT’s Hou slams DPP’s ECFA ’poison pill’ claims
Kuomintang (KMT) presidential contender Hou Yu-ih criticizes the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP’s) past claims about the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) and cross-strait communication. He questions the DPP candidate’s analogy of "three links" and direct flights to a "Trojan horse leading to a massacre" and challenges the Agriculture Minister’s role in Chinese approvals for Taiwan’s grouper fish export. Hou argues that unresolved quarantine issues could harm Taiwanese farmers and suggests direct negotiations with China. He also criticizes Lai’s "Taiwan independence" stance, claiming it lacks practical understanding of cross-strait relations. If elected, Hou promises to continue ECFA negotiations to reduce China’s tariffs on Taiwan’s industries. He believes that adhering to the Constitution and the Act Governing Relations between Taiwan and China will maintain peace between the straits.2023/12/26 16:44 -
DPP’s Lai narrowly leads KMT’s Hou in latest Taiwan poll
In a closely contested presidential race in Taiwan, a recent poll by Formosa Magazine shows that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, Lai Ching-te, holds a slim lead over his Kuomintang (KMT) rival, Hou Yu-ih. Lai stands at 31.4%, while Hou is close behind at 31.1%, and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) contender, Ko Wen-je, trails at 25.2%. The razor-thin margin of just 0.3 percentage points between Lai and Hou highlights the intense competition as Taiwan enters the final stage of the election. This election also presents the possibility of a shift in political power, with 27.8% supporting the continuation of the DPP government, 26.8% backing the KMT, and 16.5% siding with the TPP. Approximately 2.9% of the population supports an independent candidate. DPP sources claim that recent unusual polling activities are due to vigorous mobilization by the pan-blue and white camps (KMT and TPP), which have anomalously driven declared rates from about 50% to a staggering 90%. The poll was conducted over three days, from Nov. 21-23, using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) and had a valid sample size of 1,331 respondents. The poll paints a picture of a fiercely contested election, with an electorate divided on its future leadership.2023/11/24 18:18 -
BCC Chairman urges Terry Gou to reassess presidential bid
The Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of China, Chao Shao-kang, has urged Terry Gou, independent presidential candidate and founder of Foxconn, to reconsider his election bid in light of the recent consensus reached between the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). Chao emphasized that Gou has already surpassed the nomination threshold and should step back, as he initially aimed to boost the KMT-TPP coalition. Although TPP candidate Ko Wen-je had considered an alliance with Gou, the formation of the coalition renders any significant change unlikely. Chao cautioned against excluding Gou and suggested integrating his influence into the coalition. He warned that failing to do so could pose problems if Gou continues his presidential run. Chao expressed confidence that Gou would not win the election and advised him to withdraw logically, rather than emotionally.2023/11/16 17:09 -
Terry Gou remains open to cooperation with TPP’s Ko
Independent presidential candidate Terry Gou’s campaign office spokesperson, Chen Chia-yi, confirmed that the election coalition between the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan’s People Party (TPP) does not prevent the TPP from forming an alliance with Gou. Chen emphasized that Gou’s commitment to a political turnover in 2024 remains unwavering and stated that discussions can take place between Gou and TPP’s presidential contender Ko Wen-je, as the two are not mutually exclusive. Gou’s campaign team aims to bring all parties to the table to communicate their goals without any preconditions, highlighting that unity is the key to winning the presidential election. Chen mentioned that Gou’s direction aligns with the 65% mainstream public opinion, which desires the removal of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Cooperation among opposition presidential candidates is seen as the ongoing effort leading up to candidate registration at the Central Election Commission from November 20 to November 24.2023/11/16 15:20