Outgoing Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday said she considers herself as the most “local” candidate in the party’s chairperson by-election, which has been painted as a “local versus non-local” race.
Hung made the remarks at a “thank you” gathering held at the KMT’s Keelung branch yesterday morning, the last day of her four-year tenure as the nation’s first female deputy legislative speaker.
Also in attendance at the event were former KMT chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), former KMT vice chairman Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and KMT Interim Chairperson Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠), who is also vying for the chairpersonship in the by-election scheduled to take place on March 26.
“There has been talk of being local or non-local, which is unnecessary, as the KMT long ago planted its roots in Taiwan. As the oldest candidate in the by-election, I am naturally the most senior and genuinely Taiwanese of them all,” Hung said.
Hung said that she was born in Taiwan, speaks Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) and was raised on domestically produced rice and water.
“Sorry, Huang Min-hui, I am the elder Taiwanese between us. You might be an outstanding person, but you are younger than I and I am more local than you,” Hung said, taking Huang’s hand.
Hung’s comments added intrigue to speculation that Huang’s last-minute decision on Wednesday last week to enter the race for chairperson was aimed at blocking Hung, whose perceived inclination toward a hasty unification with China is said to have unnerved the KMT’s higher echelons.
Despite Huang on Thursday last week clarifying that her bid was prompted by her dislike of a divided party, rumors of a “Hung-blocking” plan within the KMT have run rampant.
Hung said the KMT should not only reflect on its failures to help people see and recognize its contributions to Taiwan, but it should also re-embrace its original core values and ideals.
“I feel no pressure running for chairperson of the party, because there are no opponents within the party, only comrades. The pressure will only come after the election, as the party’s new chairperson will be expected to reinvigorate the party in the shortest amount of time possible,” Hung said.
Huang, who is seen as a member of the KMT’s local camp, also delivered a speech at yesterday’s event, saying the party must listen to the public and bolster its efforts to regain the public’s trust after having been crippled by an unprecedented defeat in the Jan. 16 presidential and legislative elections.
“We will not be able to pick ourselves back up again unless we unite and jointly shoulder the responsibility. Only an undefeated KMT can keep the Republic of China standing,” Huang said.
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