Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) yesterday downplayed growing calls within the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) for him to run for president next year, urging the public “not to think too much” during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Han on Nov. 24 last year became the first KMT candidate to win the Kaohsiung mayoral election in 20 years after a meteoric rise to fame.
“Do not ask me if I am going to run for president,” Han said yesterday as he visited a temple in the city. “Let’s just enjoy the holiday and not think too much.”
Photo: Huang Chia-lin, Taipei Times
Boosting the city’s economy is his priority at the moment, Han said, adding that he has seen signs of improvement and increased happiness among Kaohsiung residents.
In light of the KMT’s regained public support, senior KMT members including former New Taipei City mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫), KMT Legislator Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), KMT Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) have expressed their intent or are rumored to be planning to run for president.
In light of the potentially fierce competition, former KMT Central Policy Committee director Alex Tsai (蔡正元) on Thursday proposed that party headquarters, as a rule, only nominates candidates who command higher or similar support ratings to Han’s in opinion polls.
Asked about Tsai’s proposal in an interview on Friday, Wu said that he has asked a KMT think tank to evaluate the matter, and suggest a date and procedure for the presidential primary.
“He has my blessing, whether he plans to improve his city or serve the entire nation,” Wu said when asked about the calls for Han to run.
Asked the same question yesterday, Chu said that making Taiwan a better place is what motivated him to enter politics.
“The most important goal for 2020 is not personal victory, but rather a victory for the entire KMT,” said Chu, who announced a presidential bid after completing his second term as mayor in December.
Ma yesterday also responded positively to the growing support for Han.
“It would certainly be nice if he is willing to run,” he said.
Additional reporting by Wang Chun-Chieh and Wu Chun-feng
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS