New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) appeared united yesterday for the first time since Hou criticized Chu’s party leadership, hinting at a willingness to cooperate.
Hou on Thursday last week criticized the KMT’s intent to establish a central election strategy committee that included members convicted of corruption, stating that political parties should not condone graft.
The KMT on Saturday announced the abolition of the committee.
Photo: Lo Pei-te, Taipei Times
Appearing with Chu at the KMT New Taipei City Council caucus meeting yesterday, Hou and Chu stressed the importance maintaining the “characteristics of the KMT’s younger generation.”
Hou and Chu are long-time friends and there is “no difficulty interacting or communicating,” Hou told reporters, adding that their friendship would never change and would stand the test of time.
Asked about the possibility of joining the party’s nomination committee, Hou said he believed that Chu would put forward appropriate people for the job, and that everyone must play their part if the group hopes to progress.
Hou is widely viewed as one of the party’s potential presidential candidates, but he sidestepped whether he would run for president next year, saying that in his 43 years as a public servant, he has never forgotten his dream to keep society stable and safe.
Chu and Hou sharing a stage and shaking hands was a move to shift the public’s attention away from the KMT’s infighting, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said, adding that Chu was removed from a situation where he would have been criticized.
The KMT abolishing the committee allowed “corrupt individuals” to go underground, DPP spokesman Chang Chih-hao (張志豪) said.
Hou only paid lip service to anti-corruption ideals, Chang said, adding that Hou’s administration has seen many accused of corruption, but he was too busy politicking with Chu to hold the allegedly corrupt individuals to account.
Additional reporting by Chen Yun
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