Cooperation between opposition parties would be essential to victory in the presidential and legislative elections in January, and no approach should be ruled out in the effort to defeat the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said on Wednesday.
There has been speculation that an opposition alliance might form, but the two main opposition parties — the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) — have not announced a deal.
Describing the desire for cooperation as “prevailing public sentiment,” Chu told the KMT’s Central Standing Committee that cooperation is a must, and promised to make every effort to rally “all friends” under a shared vision.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The KMT has 38 seats in the 113-seat legislature, while the TPP, established by party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) in August 2019, has five at-large seats.
Chu said that in advanced Western democracies, it is common for alliances to be formed across the political spectrum grounded in shared concepts and ideals.
After months of concerted effort, the KMT and the TPP are closer in terms of political philosophy, Chu said.
As to the nomination of legislators, the parties share the goal of preventing the DPP from securing a majority, he said, adding that there is a need for unity and coordination in nominations.
There are no preconditions when it comes to alliance-building, Chu said, adding that he is open to various approaches as the two sides seek common ground to sincerely “fulfill the shared aspirations of the people.”
Meanwhile, former legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) of the KMT told reporters after an event at National Chengchi University in Taipei that opposition cooperation is necessary and inevitable.
Wang said “the possibility is very, very high” that there would be cooperation between presidential hopefuls Ko, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) of the KMT and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘), an independent.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Hou and Ko were the mayors of New Taipei City and Taipei respectively, they worked closely together, Wang said.
The two candidates should be able to engage in face-to-face preliminary discussions on cooperation, he said.
However, dealings between the two and Gou would be more challenging, he added.
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