Taiwan’s opposition Nationalist Party picked the popular mayor of New Taipei City, Hou Yu-ih, on Wednesday as its candidate in next year’s presidential election, seen as a referendum on the island’s future relations with China. Hou, the former head of the National Police Agency, will face current Vice President William Lai of the governing Democratic Progressive Party in the January polls.
The Nationalists seek warmer ties with mainland China, while the governing party is seen as pro-independence. Current President Tsai Ing-wen has served two terms and is unable to run again.
Hou was chosen by the Nationalists over Terry Gou, a billionaire Taiwanese businessman who founded Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker. One of his first tasks will be to try to unite the party behind his candidacy.Hou has said little publicly about his approach to China, focusing instead on local politics. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and has repeatedly threatened to take the island by force.
Near-daily flights by Chinese fighter jets near Taiwan have raised tensions. Hou enjoys popular support as mayor of New Taipei, the administrative region that surrounds Taipei, the capital. Liu Cheng-shan, a professor of political science at National Sun Yat-Sen University, said Hou has developed a reputation for getting things done as mayor. “He gives everyone an image of someone who quietly does the work and is diligent,” Liu said.
“I’m Taiwanese. I’m humble, diligent and honest,” Hou said Wednesday, speaking in Taiwanese at the Nationalist Party headquarters in Taipei.
“I will work hard to strive for a good future for this piece of land.
We know that the Republic of China is our country and Taiwan is our home.”