Thu, Aug 29, 2019 page3

• Gou welcomes Soong collaboration

  OPEN INVITATION: While the two have not yet spoken, the PFP said it has reached out to Gou and that third parties must find a shared core value to draw independents

  • By Ann Maxon / Staff reporter
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  Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) is open to collaborating with anyone, including People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), in the campaign for next year’s presidential election, Gou’s office spokeswoman said yesterday.

  “Mr Soong’s abilities and charisma are widely recognized,” Yonglin Foundation deputy chief executive Evelyn Tsai (蔡沁瑜) said. “We are open to cooperating with any political parties, groups or individuals. As long as we share the same values and goals, we would love to hear their thoughts.”

  Tsai made the remarks during an interview in Taipei when asked to confirm a report by Chinese-language media outlet ET Today saying that Gou is considering cooperating with Soong ahead of the January elections.

  Receiving support from the PFP, in addition to Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) Taiwan People’s Party, would help Gou control the Legislative Yuan as an independent president, the report said.

  Soong’s close ties with former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) could also help the tycoon win over some of Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu’s (韓國瑜) hardline supporters, as Soong served as Chiang’s secretary for 14 years, it said.

  Asked if Soong’s stance on cross-strait issues contradicts Gou’s, as Xinhua news agency earlier this year reported that the PFP chairman supports Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework, Tsai said that she would not comment on Soong’s stance.

  Gou has made it clear that he believes the framework has failed in Hong Kong, she said, adding that he would collaborate with anyone as long as it would benefit Taiwan.

  The two camps have not made any contact so far, she added.

  PFP Organization Department director Chang Sho-wen (張碩文) said that the party would be happy to cooperate with other political parties, as it has limited power on its own.

  To defeat the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party, third parties must find a shared core value that resonates with independent voters, he said.

  Asked if the party has discussed collaborating with Gou, Ko or KMT Legislator Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), Chang said that its aides have made contact, but there have not yet been any formal discussions.

  The PFP would begin nominating its legislative candidates late next month, he said, adding that Soong has been urged by many supporters to run for president himself, although he has no plans to do so.

  Asked to comment on the possibility of Soong joining forces with Gou, Han’s Taipei campaign office director Cheng Shih-wei (鄭世維) said that people would make their own judgements about the candidates based on their platforms.

  The campaign office would work to win more support by offering better policy plans, he added.

  In other developments, the KMT Central Standing Committee yesterday passed regulations to revoke the membership of those who stand in presidential and legislative elections without the party’s nomination.

  Under the regulations, members who help such candidates’ campaigns would have their party membership suspended for up to two years.

  The KMT next month or in November would discipline any member who registers as a presidential candidate without the party’s nomination, KMT Disciplinary Committee director Wei Ping-cheng (魏平政) said.

  According to the Central Election Commission, to qualify as an independent, a prospective presidential candidate must register by Sept. 17 to begin a petition drive that must collect at least 280,384 signatures by Nov. 2.

  Additional reporting by Lin Liang-sheng and CNA
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