Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) would again seek the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) nomination for president, he told a news conference marking his return from the US at a hotel near Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday.
The business tycoon was a contender for the 2019 KMT presidential nomination, but lost to former Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜). He quit the party the same year.
Taiwan can only avoid war with China by reducing tensions between the US and China, and voting the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) out of office, he said.
Photo: Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Reuters
“We must honestly tell young people that it is dangerous to vote for the DPP, which exalts Taiwanese independence, and hates and opposes China,” he was quoted by Reuters as saying. “Peace is not taken for granted, and people need to make the correct choice.”
Gou apologized for leaving the KMT and pledged to support New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) — widely presumed to be planning to run for the presidency — if Hou wins the party nomination.
The KMT is to select its presidential and legislative candidates via a special committee consisting of party leaders, it announced on March 23.
Reached for comment, Hou said that protecting the nation and loving its people are the most important things in his life, adding that solidarity is needed for the good of the nation.
Hou was speaking at a news event following a mayoral visit to the light rail station in New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水)
Asked whether he would run for president, Hou said his top priority remains to lead the New Taipei City Government, as city residents have been suffering from rising prices of daily necessities.
KMT caucus whip William Tseng (曾銘宗) said Gou’s remark that the DPP must be voted out of office and his apology are positive signs.
The party, even united, could still lose next year’s election and a disunited party would be doomed, he said, adding that the KMT must reach out to swing voters.
The creation of the KMT special committee to nominate candidates was a move to avoid disunity that could arise from primary elections, he said.
The inclusion of Gou in the national polls is a matter for the KMT Central Standing Committee to decide, which has the full support of KMT lawmakers, he said.
Citing his own sources, Tseng said the KMT headquarters has initiated measures following the announcement of Gou’s presidential bid to ensure that the nomination would be fair and transparent.
KMT legislative caucus secretary-general Hsieh Yi-fong (謝衣?) — the first in the party to declare support for Hou’s presumed presidential bid — said she remains “cautiously optimistic” that Hou is the most likely contender to be chosen by the party organization.
“The DPP absolutely viewed Hou as the strongest opponent it could face in the election,” she said.
Hou is a “pragmatic and drama-free” candidate for next year’s presidential election, KMT legislative caucus whip Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) said.
DPP spokeswoman Michelle Lin (林楚茵) said that Gou’s entry into the race reflects Hou’s falling approval ratings and a surge in public criticism of his stance toward China.
The KMT presidential nomination is likely to devolve into a political affray, as shown by the rivalry between KMT Legislator Alex Fai (費鴻泰) and Taipei City Councilor Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) to become the party’s legislative candidates, she said.
Gou has a long way to go in his presidential bid, and that is why he targeted the DPP using colorful language, Michelle Lin said, adding that the DPP does not respond to unreasonable remarks.
While Gou is popular with young people and those who vote on economic issues, the KMT has gone backward in democracy by its decision to nominate candidates without a vote, DPP Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑) said.
Peace would not be achieved through Gou’s platform of avoiding war by improving US-China relations and voting out the DPP, Hsu said, adding that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown the world how authoritarian states operate.
Gou’s peace proposal would require him to “pay a visit to Beijing as a tributary vassal and praise China’s pandemic response, as former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) did recently,” he said.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old