Taipei: Candidates for the chairmanship of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), have expressed their readiness to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping if elected, with the aim of fostering peace across the Taiwan Strait. In a televised debate held ahead of the KMT chair election scheduled for next week, various candidates outlined their plans to engage with China on terms of equality and mutual respect.
According to Focus Taiwan, former Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin emphasized his past interactions with Chinese officials during his tenure, asserting the importance of recognizing the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan’s official name. Despite China’s ongoing military exercises near Taiwan, Hau remained hopeful for peaceful exchanges and expressed willingness to meet Xi on equal terms to enhance cross-strait relations. Hau was clear in his stance of not seeking to flatter China, but rather to engage on an equal footing.
Former KMT Legislator Cheng Li-wun, another candidate, highlighted the KMT’s mandate to facilitate peace with China and expressed her intent to meet with the Chinese leader to secure a consensus among the Taiwanese people. With the KMT governing a majority of Taiwan’s counties and cities, Cheng emphasized the importance of shaping a majority opinion regarding Taiwan’s approach to China.
KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang proposed resuming dialogue with China based on the 1992 consensus, which involves “one China, with each side having its interpretation.” Lo expressed hope for mutual respect between Taiwan and China, stating his plan to lead Taiwanese youth representatives to China for exchange visits. He underscored the importance of exchanges to ensure Taiwan’s continued existence and to prevent it from becoming a conflict zone like Ukraine.
Former National Taiwan University political science professor Chang Ya-chung advocated for dialogue between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to seek peaceful solutions. Chang suggested that if the KMT wins the 2028 election, such solutions could lead to a peace agreement between Taiwan and China.
The candidates’ willingness to engage with Xi was prompted by questions from another candidate, Tsai Chih-hung. However, former Changhua County Magistrate Cho Po-yuan was absent from the debate, which was organized by CtiTV. The KMT has scheduled a party-wide vote on October 18 to elect a new chairperson, with the winner set to assume office on November 1 for a four-year term, succeeding Eric Chu.
