Taiwan Opposition Parties Register Separate Presidential Candidates, Potentially Easing Way for Ruling Party
On Friday, Taiwan’s opposition parties, which seek closer China ties, registered separate presidential candidates following a dramatic split that could potentially pave the way for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to stay in power.
The move comes amid heightened political and military pressure from China, which views Taiwan as its own territory and has been pressuring the island to accept its sovereignty claims.
The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) had initially agreed to work together against the DPP, but failed to make any progress on plans for a united presidential ticket. This has resulted in what some have termed as a chaotic situation within the opposition camp.
Hou Yu-ih, the KMT’s presidential candidate, and Ko Wen-je, the TPP’s candidate, announced their running mates on Friday morning, but they were unable to reach a consensus during last-ditch talks held the day before.
The billionaire founder of major Apple supplier Foxconn, Terry Gou, who had been running as an independent candidate, confirmed that he was withdrawing from the race just three hours before the registration deadline.
After the collapse of the opposition talks, Gou, who was widely expected to withdraw, was unable to register his candidacy.
The DPP has taken advantage of the opposition’s disunity and has been charging ahead in its election campaign. Taiwan’s Vice President, Lai Ching-te, the DPP’s presidential candidate, has consistently led in the polls.
Huang Kwei-bo, a professor of diplomacy at Taipei’s National Chengchi University, said that the opposition parties would hope for favorable changes, such as internal DPP scandals, before the election that they can seize on.
Despite the opposition’s disunity, Lai Ching-te emphasized that his team is not resting on its laurels and is actively discussing policy with voters and the media.
While the political drama has had minimal impact on Taiwan’s stock market, concerns over relations with China and the return of Chinese tourists have led to a 3.2% drop in the tourism and hospitality sub-index.
The Jan. 13 election will undoubtedly be closely watched by the global community, as Taiwan’s political landscape continues to navigate through the complexities of cross-strait relations with China.