Terry Gou

Hou and Gou Make Economic and Political Proposals for Kinmen

Brian Hioe
President Tsai Ing-wen, KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi, and Foxconn founder Terry Gou all traveled to Kinmen over the last week. Though Gou has not formally announced a presidential run, he has strongly hinted at one. Gou would be likely running as an independent, having ruled out the possibility of collaboration with the KMT and this also being unlikely with Ko Wen-je’s TPP, seeing as neither he nor Ko would serve as the other’s deputy...
August 2023EnglishPolitics6 min read

KMT Party Congress Reaffirms Hou’s Nomination, But In-Fighting Continues

Brian Hioe
The KMT party congress took place yesterday at the Banqiao Stadium in New Taipei. There were few surprises at the party congress, with KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih officially confirmed as the party’s candidate. There has been speculation for some weeks that Hou could potentially face being replaced as the KMT party candidate, due to Hou’s weak performance in polls so far. This was the scenario that took place in the 2016 presidential elections, with Hung Hsiu-chu being swapped out in favor of current party chair Eric Chu...
EnglishJuly 2023Politics6 min read

DPP Emphasizes Continuity for 2024 Elections at Party Congress on Sunday

Brian Hioe
The DPP held its party congress on Sunday at the Grand Hotel. This took place on the same day as the rally organized by former NPP chair Huang Kuo-chang and streamer Holger Chen on Ketagalan Boulevard. As no representative of the DPP was present at the rally, which all pan-Blue presidential candidates attended, this led to DPP party members being derided by Huang as off enjoying air conditioning while attendees at the rally toiled in the heat. Though the rally framed itself as non-partisan, given that all pan-Blue presidential candidates were present, the rally is largely read as pan-Blue...
EnglishJuly 2023Politics6 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

Is Hou You-yi Leaning Into Nuclear Advocacy to Pacify the KMT?

Brian Hioe
KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi has begun to lean into advocacy of nuclear power in the course of campaigning at a time of flagging ratings. Hou currently polls worse than former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je, who is the presidential candidate of the TPP and KMT chair Eric Chu has had to fend off rumors that the KMT is considering replacing Hou as its candidate. Hou is calling for restarts of nuclear plants in Shihmen and Guosheng, the highly controversial No. 4 nuclear reactor, and extending the lifespan of the Ma-anshan plant...
EnglishJune 2023Politics5 min read

Nuclear Energy Reemerges as Contentious Issue Ahead of 2024 Elections

Brian Hioe
Although it is not likely to become the key issue to be voted on, seeing as presidential elections traditionally revolve around the issue of cross-strait relations, the issue of nuclear energy will be an important substrate of the Taiwanese presidential elections. It proves unsurprising, then, that the issue of nuclear energy has again come up as a contentious issue–as it has long been in Taiwan, given Taiwan’s nature as an island country...
EnglishJune 2023Politics6 min read

Hou You-yi Emphasizes Opposition to Both “One Country, Two Systems”, Taiwanese Independence

Brian Hioe
In comments made earlier this week, New Taipei mayor Hou You-yi expressed opposition to both Taiwanese independence and Beijing’s “One Country, Two Systems.” This is among the clearest articulation of a cross-strait stance by the New Taipei mayor to date, with Hou angling for the presidential nomination of the KMT. Otherwise, Hou committed to the defense of the ROC, which includes Matsu, Kinmen, and Penghu...
Cross StraitEnglishInternationalMay 2023Politics5 min read