Today was the last day for candidates to register for the presidential election, with the deadline being 5:30 PM. After yesterday’s drama, involving a televised public spat between all of the major pan-Blue presidential candidates, each candidate seemed set to field a separate run, with hopes of a joint ticket scuppered...
The already convoluted saga of a prospective alliance between the TPP and KMT took a turn for the bizarre today. This took the form of a press conference that involved all of the pan-Blue presidential candidates–Hou You-yi of the KMT, Ko Wen-je of the TPP, and independent candidate Terry Gou–openly sparring with each other. Former president Ma Ying-jeou and KMT party chair Eric Chu were also present. The deadline for candidates to register for president is 5:30 PM tomorrow...
Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen's National Day address yesterday had few surprises. More generally, Tsai touted her accomplishments ahead of next year’s elections. With Tsai having served two full terms, this will be the last National Day address of Tsai’s tenure. Taiwan will go to the polls to decide its next president in January...
Controversy about egg imports has been ongoing in past months, leading to the resignation of Minister of Agriculture Chen Chi-chung, among others. Nevertheless, this has taken a new turn in the past days...
Ahead of the January elections, Taiwanese presidential candidates have begun to outline the steps they would take to improve the healthcare system. This takes place even as all candidates are largely in agreement that Taiwan faces fundamental demographic issues regarding its declining birthrate and rising elderly population. As such, the proposed measures take place within this context...
Despite many predictions that a split pan-Blue vote is likely to result in a DPP victory for its presidential candidate, William Lai, Foxconn founder Terry Gou, and TPP presidential candidate Ko Wen-je remain unlikely to pull out of the race. This has been labeled by some to be an irrational political move, seeing as the pan-Blue camp only stands a chance for any of its candidates to win if the other candidates unite behind a single one. Polling shows that Terry Gou, who is trailing in number three, is least likely to win...
KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi recently traveled to the US. Taiwanese presidential candidates traditionally travel to the US ahead of elections. This is not only to meet with US government officials and conduct meetings, but to meet with wealthy members of the Taiwanese diaspora that live in the US, so as to solicit campaign funds. TPP presidential candidate Ko visited the US in April, while independent presidential candidate Terry Gou visited both in April and in late July. Ko has announced another trip for October. DPP presidential candidate William Lai visited the US in September...
DPP presidential candidate William Lai hit out at Terry Gou’s proposal of a peace treaty between Taiwan and China earlier this week. Gou is running for president as a pan-Blue independent, with the KMT having declined to nominate him in favor of New Taipei mayor Hou You-yi earlier this year...
