The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have agreed to hold talks on cooperation ahead of next year’s presidential election, the KMT’s presidential candidate New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, adding that his campaign keeps an “open mind on all issues.”
Speaking on the sidelines of a campaign event in Taipei, Hou told reporters that his office and KMT leaders spoke yesterday morning with representatives of TPP Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).
The two sides agreed on the necessity of holding further talks, “no matter the time, place or topic,” he said, adding that his side has already proposed six requests.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Separately yesterday, Ko’s campaign spokesman Tai Yu-wen (戴于文) told reporters that the two sides are stuck on whether to publicize their talks.
Ko’s team wants their discussions to be transparent, but Hou’s campaign has “left us on read,” Tai said, calling on them to respond.
The campaign hopes to finalize their meeting schedule within a week, and hold a series of debates and a poll before the end of the month to decide the ballot, he added.
Regarding the rival campaign’s failure to agree on holding debates, Tai said that in a mature democracy, decisions “are not made over coffee” and must be accountable to the public.
Meanwhile, Broadcasting Corp of China chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康) yesterday agreed that polling is important when choosing how to form an opposition coalition, but the opinions of those involved are most important.
Poll results must be considered, but “if we only look at the polls, there would be no need to hold an election,” said Jaw, who leads the “blue fighters” faction of the KMT.
Hou and Ko are old friends, he said, adding that it all depends on how they coordinate.
However, Jaw said that in his opinion, polling should have a 60 percent weighting in the decision, while the views of party leaders should make up the remaining 40 percent.
Jaw also criticized Ko for raising too many proposals, saying it would be difficult to hold discussions if he keeps changing his mind.
The KMT has already sent some of its top leaders for negotiations, “what more do you want?” he asked, urging the TPP leader to drop his preconditions.
Regarding former Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu’s (韓國瑜) role in the election, after the KMT on Tuesday announced that it had asked him to serve as a party vice chairman, Jaw said he would be better suited as a legislator-at-large candidate.
The KMT has many vice chairs, so his effect in that role would be limited, Jaw said.
However, if he were to serve in the legislature, he could lead the blue camp and energize his base to great effect, he said, adding that the final decision is up to the party leadership.
Additional reporting by Huang Ching-yi
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