Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) yesterday pledged to develop the region’s economy if elected.
Hou made the remarks after Vice President William Lai (賴清德), the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate, said that the KMT’s call for a service trade agreement with China was “steering Taiwan’s economy toward China.”
There is no choosing sides when it comes to trade, but it must be carried out with a global perspective, Hou said.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
One’s eggs cannot all be put in one basket, he said, adding that it is impossible to cut cross-strait trade.
The DPP has not been able to get Taiwan to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership or the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Hou said, pledging that he would push for Taiwan’s inclusion in the regional trade blocs if elected so that Taiwan can make its mark in the region’s economy.
Separately yesterday, the KMT caucus accused the DPP government of sparking fear among local government officials by using the judicial system to investigate them for any possible contraventions of the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法).
Multiple borough wardens from around the nation are being investigated for allegedly having been treated by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office to free tours in China. The DPP government says the trips are evidence of China meddling in Taiwan’s elections.
KMT lawmakers said that the investigations have meant many borough wardens do not want to publicly endorse KMT candidates, as they say prosecutors are acting like the secret police.
The KMT’s vice presidential candidate, Broadcasting Corp of China chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康), said that he could not find anything illegal with these trips.
“Even if the wardens met with Chinese officials, who asked them to support certain candidates, wardens can decide for themselves who they want to support. They will not change their minds simply because they were treated to free meals and free tours. Would you reporters support KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi simply because I ask you to?” Jaw said.
The DPP cannot bring peace to the nation and there would be cross-strait trade negotiations as long as the DPP is still in power, Jaw said.
“The DPP has proven it is incapable of advancing cross-strait dialogue. To protect our agricultural products, it is reasonable to set restrictions, which can be negotiated. However, the DPP did not want to talk, which affects Taiwan greatly,” he said.
Additional reporting by Lai Hsiao-tung and Shelley Shan
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