Pan-Blue Camp

KMT Leadership Moves to Cut Influence of Veterans’ Branch in Major Internal Shake-Up

Brian Hioe
In a surprise move, the KMT has moved to demote the position of the Huang Fu-hsing and to integrate the Huang Fu-hsing into local KMT party chapters. Although the Huang Fu-hsing will become a “veterans service working committee" and be a second-tier part of the party, this is a move aimed at undercutting the power of what has sometimes been termed a “party within a party”...
EnglishMarch 2024Politics7 min read

Ko’s TPP Shrugs Off Cult Allegations

Brian Hioe
Young supporters of Ko Wen-je’s TPP have recently been criticized as “cult-like” after videos of high schoolers selling “Little Grass ID cards.” The ID cards are sold for 500 NT each, leading to criticisms of the TPP that it is brainwashing children and that it is seeking to raise money in the manner of a direct sales scam...
EnglishJanuary 2024Politics5 min read

Pan-Blue Unity Ticket Dissolves Spectacularly with Televised Spat Between Candidates

Brian Hioe
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...
EnglishNovember 2023Politics12 min read

Will the Pan-Blue Camp Unite Before Elections?

Brian Hioe
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...
EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20237 min read

Hou You-yi Travels to the US, Emphasizes Similar Policies to Tsai

Brian Hioe
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...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishInternationalPoliticsSeptember 20235 min read

Tens of Thousands Rally on Ketagalan Boulevard for Pan-Blue Rally About Housing Justice, Judicial Reform

Brian Hioe
Demonstrators protested on Ketagalan Boulevard today for a rally called by former NPP chair Huang Kuo-Chang and influential streamer and bodybuilder Holger Chen. The rally drew tens of thousands, despite intense heat in the afternoon, and can be seen as the first major campaign rally of the 2024 election season. The rally began at 2 PM...
EnglishJuly 2023Politics9 min read