Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) yesterday announced the establishment of his national policy advisory group.
Han unveiled the names of 100 advisers on his team, saying that there were another 100 whose names were temporarily withheld from the public due to their other roles.
Former premier Simon Chang (張善政), convener of the team, said that many of its members were “very worried” about Taiwan’s future.
Han said that he had not been aware that so many people were so perturbed prior to extending the invitation.
He said that his platform was simple and that he wanted Taiwan to be safe and for its people to be wealthy, adding that President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration has over the past three-and-a-half years led Taiwan in the opposite direction.
Failure in international diplomacy has led to tenser cross-strait relations, while a lack of success in domestic policies has led to heightened tensions in society, as well as worried industries, Han said.
The Tsai administration should endeavor to convince the Taiwanese public that it can lead them to safety and prosperity, Han said, adding that it should convince the people who have supported the Democratic Progressive Party for so long.
The Tsai administration has released numerous white papers, but often the policies they contain are not backed up by action, he said.
Han said that his campaign would not only provide a policy platform, but also state how it would achieve its goals.
The advisory group was primarily established to help provide important policies, as well as help his campaign office interact with the nation’s industries, he said.
Separately yesterday, amid criticism against Han, including by former KMT members Ao Po-sheng (敖博勝) and Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興), party sources said that Han critics form the “same group of people” and posed no threat, adding that presidential candidates should be the subject of critique and examination.
Han’s admission to being “somewhat wild” in his youth means that his past poses very little threat, but the possibility of former Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) leaving the party and running as an independent is a real danger, they said.
The party is 100 percent behind Han, as he has received its nomination, another source said, but added that high-ranking KMT officials should seek to contain the possible damage to Han’s campaign that would result if KMT Legislator Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and Gou leave the party.
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