Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday said that while he would reference President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) US and national defense policies, his policies on domestic affairs and cross-strait relations would be more moderate and rational if elected.
After Ko on Wednesday said during an interview that he would pursue Tsai’s national defense and foreign policies, a number of people have questioned why they should not just vote for Vice President William Lai (賴清德), the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate who has pledged to follow Tsai’s direction for his foreign policies.
In response, Ko yesterday wrote on Facebook that “although I agree on maintaining a good relationship with the US and the need for sufficient self-defense capability, I do not agree with President Tsai’s handling of cross-strait relations and internal affairs.”
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan People’s Party
Of the DPP leaders, Tsai leans most toward the middle of the political spectrum and has even been challenged by the party’s pro-independence groups as “not being pro-independence enough,” with one of the challengers being Lai, who competed with her in the party primary in 2019, he said.
Tsai has been devoted to improving relationships with allies and bolstering Taiwan’s military self-reliance, which he recognizes and would continue to seek, but the deadlock in cross-strait relations should be re-examined, he said.
“The leader elected in 2024 should follow the middle path to maintain Taiwan’s autonomy and should also be able to communicate with China and the US,” he wrote, adding that Tsai carries the DPP’s burdens and could not achieve what she wanted, so he questions whether Lai could.
Ko said if Lai is no longer a pragmatic political worker for Taiwanese independence due to pressure from the US, then he thinks that Lai is essentially a “Taiwanese independence liar” that has used the claim to deceive supporters and garner votes.
Ko said he would reference Tsai’s US and national defense policies, heading toward Taiwan’s autonomy, but seek a moderate and rational path for internal affairs and cross-strait relations, resuming communication with the other side of the Taiwan Strait and establishing a trustworthy dialogue system between the two countries if elected.
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