Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday suggested that the party could “recruit” Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) to join the party’s presidential primary.
The party’s plan to recruit Han would be a “fair” mechanism without hurting the party or Han, Wu said in a radio interview, but added that it would not do so if Han clearly refuses to join.
Asked how the party would decide on its nominee among many candidates, he said that the KMT prefers to conduct public opinion polls, instead of just among its members.
Photo: CNA
KMT headquarters on Wednesday granted a membership certificate to Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海集團) chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) for lending the party NT$45 million (US$1.46 million at the current exchange rate) in 2016 without interest, Wu said, negating allegations that the move was aimed at helping Gou resolve his questionable membership so that he could take part in the primary.
After Gou received the certificate on Wednesday, he announced that he would participate in the party’s primary, saying that he would not accept being drafted to run.
He said that if he wins, he would stand as the KMT’s presidential candidate, and that if he loses, he would support whoever is selected.
Gou did not inform the party before announcing his decision to join the primary, Wu said yesterday, denying rumors that he and former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) plotted for Gou’s participation to hinder Han.
Wu reaffirmed his objectivity, saying that he has decided not to contest the primary and that he would meet with Han, Gou and the other hopefuls — former New Taipei City mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫), KMT Legislator Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and former Taipei County commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) — to discuss the primary’s rules.
Referring to Wu’s remarks on recruiting Han, Chu said that the party’s primary plan “has changed from a romance film to an action movie to a science-fiction movie.”
He urged KMT headquarters to “provide a clear mechanism for the primary” to avoid losing supporters.
Wang also demanded a clearly defined primary mechanism, saying that it would allow candidates to feel secure in launching election campaigns.
Despite playing a role in helping Han win the mayoral election in November last year, Wang said that he would respect Han’s decision if he decides to enter the primary.
Gou yesterday said on Facebook that he anticipates a fair, just and open competition for the party’s nomination, adding that he would prove himself the best candidate during the primary.
Meanwhile, Han said that as mayor, his priority is to care about Kaohsiung’s residents and boost its economic development.
Additional reporting by Lin Hsin-han, Huang Chia-lin, Wang Jung-hsiang and Cho Yi-chun
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
‘DANGEROUS GAME’: Legislative Yuan budget cuts have already become a point of discussion for Democrats and Republicans in Washington, Elbridge Colby said Taiwan’s fall to China “would be a disaster for American interests” and Taipei must raise defense spending to deter Beijing, US President Donald Trump’s pick to lead Pentagon policy, Elbridge Colby, said on Tuesday during his US Senate confirmation hearing. The nominee for US undersecretary of defense for policy told the Armed Services Committee that Washington needs to motivate Taiwan to avoid a conflict with China and that he is “profoundly disturbed” about its perceived reluctance to raise defense spending closer to 10 percent of GDP. Colby, a China hawk who also served in the Pentagon in Trump’s first team,
SEPARATE: The MAC rebutted Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is China’s province, asserting that UN Resolution 2758 neither mentions Taiwan nor grants the PRC authority over it The “status quo” of democratic Taiwan and autocratic China not belonging to each other has long been recognized by the international community, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday in its rebuttal of Beijing’s claim that Taiwan can only be represented in the UN as “Taiwan, Province of China.” Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) yesterday at a news conference of the third session at the 14th National People’s Congress said that Taiwan can only be referred to as “Taiwan, Province of China” at the UN. Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory, which is not only history but
INVESTMENT WATCH: The US activity would not affect the firm’s investment in Taiwan, where 11 production lines would likely be completed this year, C.C. Wei said Investments by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in the US should not be a cause for concern, but rather seen as the moment that the company and Taiwan stepped into the global spotlight, President William Lai (賴清德) told a news conference at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday alongside TSMC chairman and chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家). Wei and US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday announced plans to invest US$100 billion in the US to build three advanced foundries, two packaging plants, and a research and development center, after Trump threatened to slap tariffs on chips made
RSS