The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday agreed to use public polling to decide on a coalition presidential ticket, with the result to be announced on Saturday.
New Taipei City Mayor and KMT candidate Hou You-yi (侯友宜), KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) and TPP Chairman and candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) met in a last-minute attempt to break a stalemate over who would represent the opposition on the presidential ballot for the Jan. 13 elections.
The parties met behind closed doors at the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation in Taipei, with former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) serving as a witness.
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)
In a joint statement following the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, the participants said they had agreed to use polling results as the basis of their decision on whether Hou or Ko would lead the ballot as presidential candidate, and who would serve as running mate.
Polling experts would analyze the results of public opinion polls conducted from Tuesday last week to tomorrow, in addition to one poll conducted by each of the parties, they said.
For each poll, if a candidate wins by more than the margin of error, they would receive one point, but if neither exceeds the margin of error, it would count as one point toward a Hou-led ticket, they said.
This means that for Ko to earn a point, he would have to win a poll by more than the margin of error.
The KMT, the TPP and Ma would each nominate a polling expert of their choice, the statement said, adding that the result would be announced by the foundation on Saturday morning.
The parties were previously at an impasse on how to form a coalition ballot, with the KMT favoring an open primary and the TPP favoring opinion polls.
The decision appears to be a compromise between these positions, with the KMT conceding to the use of opinion polls, although its candidate is to be prioritized in close contests.
The two sides struck “a cooperation agreement, creating a new record in Taiwan’s political history,” Ma told reporters after the meeting.
“This cooperation will enable mutual assistance between the two parties in future elections and other aspects, making it a very memorable day for both parties,” he added.
“Regardless of the outcome, and no matter who is the presidential or vice presidential candidate, we must work hand-in-hand to ensure peace and stability in the Republic of China,” Hou said.
After the ballot is decided, the two parties are to form a joint campaign to assist all candidates from the two parties running in the legislative elections, the statement said.
They also agreed to form a coalition Cabinet if elected, with ministers other than for national defense, foreign affairs and cross-strait affairs — who are chosen by the president — to be decided based on the proportion of legislators from each party, it said.
The TPP would focus on government supervision, while the KMT would be responsible for construction and development, the statement said.
Candidates for the presidential election must formally register from Monday to Friday next week.
Kuo Ya-hui (郭雅慧), spokeswoman for Vice President William Lai’s (賴清德) campaign office, accused the parties of seeking to “share the spoils.”
Whether they team up or not, Lai, of the Democratic Progressive Party, remains the only candidate with a complete policy blueprint, she said, adding that their campaign would not be affected by the decision.
Additional reporting by Chen Yun, CNA and AFP
The Philippines is working behind the scenes to enhance its defensive cooperation with Taiwan, the Washington Post said in a report published on Monday. “It would be hiding from the obvious to say that Taiwan’s security will not affect us,” Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro Jr told the paper in an interview on Thursday last week. Although there has been no formal change to the Philippines’ diplomatic stance on recognizing Taiwan, Manila is increasingly concerned about Chinese encroachment in the South China Sea, the report said. The number of Chinese vessels in the seas around the Philippines, as well as Chinese
‘A SERIOUS THREAT’: Japan has expressed grave concern over the Strait’s security over the years, which demonstrated Tokyo’s firm support for peace in the area, an official said China’s military drills around Taiwan are “incompatible” with peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya said during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi (王毅) on Thursday. “Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is important for the international community, including Japan,” Iwaya told Wang during a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings in Kuala Lumpur. “China’s large-scale military drills around Taiwan are incompatible with this,” a statement released by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday cited Iwaya as saying. The Foreign Ministers’ Meetings are a series of diplomatic
URBAN COMBAT: FIM-92 Stinger shoulder-fired missiles from the US made a rare public appearance during early-morning drills simulating an invasion of the Taipei MRT The ongoing Han Kuang military exercises entered their sixth day yesterday, simulating repelling enemy landings in Penghu County, setting up fortifications in Tainan, laying mines in waters in Kaohsiung and conducting urban combat drills in Taipei. At 5am in Penghu — part of the exercise’s first combat zone — participating units responded to a simulated rapid enemy landing on beaches, combining infantry as well as armored personnel. First Combat Zone Commander Chen Chun-yuan (陳俊源) led the combined armed troops utilizing a variety of weapons systems. Wang Keng-sheng (王鏗勝), the commander in charge of the Penghu Defense Command’s mechanized battalion, said he would give
‘REALISTIC’ APPROACH: The ministry said all the exercises were scenario-based and unscripted to better prepare personnel for real threats and unexpected developments The army’s 21st Artillery Command conducted a short-range air defense drill in Taoyuan yesterday as part of the Han Kuang exercises, using the indigenous Sky Sword II (陸射劍二) missile system for the first time in the exercises. The armed forces have been conducting a series of live-fire and defense drills across multiple regions, simulating responses to a full-scale assault by Chinese forces, the Ministry of National Defense said. The Sky Sword II missile system was rapidly deployed and combat-ready within 15 minutes to defend Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in a simulated attack, the ministry said. A three-person crew completed setup and