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Taiwan’s biggest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT) has formally chosen New Taipei City's mayor Hou Yu-ih as its presidential candidate for the upcoming elections in January 2024.

Hou thanked the party members for their affirmation, urged the Taiwanese people to stay united and vowed to bring Taiwan to glory.

Hou also showed his appreciation to his contender from KMT, namely Foxconn's founder and billionaire Terry Gou, pointing out the latter's major contributions to the economy.

United party

The nomination was announced at KMT’s meeting on May 17 by the party’s chairman Eric Chu, and was made based on "scientific data and the opinions of local government heads and lawmakers", according to Focus Taiwan.

Prior to the announcement, Gou had already congratulated Hou on his nomination in a Facebook post.

He acknowledged that the latter was best candidate for KMT and promised to support him in his presidential bid.

KMT vs DPP

In November 2022, KMT secured electoral victories in Taoyuan and Taipei, as well as the two other key municipalities New Taipei City and Taichung, while the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) suffered major losses.

The party has governed Taiwan in the past and favours closer ties with China. However, it has strongly denied being pro-Beijing and still opposes Chinese rule.

With the nomination, Hou will be going up against Vice President William Lai Ching-te, the presidential candidate of DPP.

Stance on cross-strait relations

Hou, 65, was the Director-General of Taiwan’s National Police Agency and became known after his success in the local elections, Reuters reported.

Hou had expressed that he was against both China’s “one country, two systems” principle used in Hong Kong and Macau, but also Taiwanese independence, according to Taipei Times.

“Taiwanese independence has no legal basis, so I oppose it,” he remarked.

However, he highlighted that Taiwan would have to deal with any threat to their national sovereignty seriously and be prepared in the event of an attack.

Earlier visit to Singapore

Hou visited Singapore in April 2023 as part of his “city diplomacy” and possibly to burnish his credentials prior to the nomination.

He pointed out the similarities between Singapore and Taiwan, as well as underscored the importance of looking outwards.

During the trip, Hou also met with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Minister for National Development Desmond Lee.

Rising tensions

The Taiwan presidential elections will happen at a time of rising tensions between China and Taiwan.

In early April, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met with United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in a historic but politically-sensitive visit to the American continent amid pressures from China.

Beijing condemned the visit and repeatedly warned that they would take "resolute measures" to defend China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The country then staged military drills around the island to simulate a blockade and demonstrate their “combat readiness”.

Around the same time, Taiwan’s former president Ma Ying-jeou, a KMT senior member, completed a visit to China, who said that his visit was positively received.

Cross-strait relations are expected to be a hot topic in the upcoming elections.

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Top image via Facebook/侯友宜