The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is focused on a head-on clash with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the run-up to next month’s presidential and legislative elections and has chosen a campaign theme of “peace vs war” and “clean government vs corrupt government,” a member of the KMT said yesterday.
Taiwan has seen consumer and housing prices increase under the DPP government, while wages have remained the same, they said, asking to remain anonymous.
When Taiwan “suffered” through the COVID-19 pandemic and was short of rapid screening and or vaccines, and during the egg shortages earlier this year, the DPP profited, the KMT member said.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
They highlighted the Tainan shooting last year that was tied to alleged illegal activities involving the local solar power industry and the im.B peer-to-peer lending scam, saying they were evidence of the “inherent corruption that was prevalent” under the DPP government.
The DPP’s presidential candidate, Vice President William Lai (賴清德), in the past claimed to be a “practical pro-independence supporter” and supported the slogan “oppose China, protect Taiwan,” but is now saying that he wants to “protect Taiwan using peaceful means,” the KMT member said.
As long as the DPP’s “pro-independence” party charter remains unchanged, Lai would continue along the pro-independence path should he be elected, culminating in a war across the Strait, they said.
As such, the KMT would continue to highlight the theme that voting for the DPP means to invite war, the party member said.
The KMT would continue to push for cross-strait interactions, and underscore that it is the only party that can be friendly with the US and Japan while maintaining a cordial relationship with China, they said.
KMT presidential candidate New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) is the only presidential candidate to openly oppose Taiwanese independence, they said, adding that Taiwan People’s Party Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) has never had a clear cross-strait policy.
Meanwhile, a seperate KMT member said that the party plans to hold 17 major rallies, starting with the one in Yilan County on Friday, in the run-up to election day.
The party is not only mobilizing its supporters across the nation, but also launching an Internet advertising campaign, which is to include short videos, that would make the party’s candidates’ platforms clear to the people, they said.
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