Taipei, Aug. 24 (CNA) Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who recently ruled out the possibility of being anyone’s running mate in next year’s presidential election, said Thursday he would be willing to talk with opposition political camps to work out a winning strategy.
Ko on Wednesday told reporters he would like to “talk over coffee” with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) and said in a social media post that he would like to hold a meeting with the leaders of Taiwan’s major political parties about cross-strait and economic issues.
The first to answer the call was Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), who on Thursday expressed willingness to talk to Ko about the possibilities of the KMT and TPP teaming up for the election to deny the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) “an easy victory.”
At a campaign event in Taipei Thursday, Ko was asked about the prospect of him meeting with Chu.
Ko said that it was inevitable that opposition parties would sit down and talk to one another, adding that because he and Chu had known each other since they enrolled at National Taiwan University in 1979, they would have no problem communicating.
Ko, who on Aug. 11 said he would “campaign until the end as the TPP’s presidential candidate,” said he would be willing to talk with New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜), when asked whether the two camps would consider uniting for a joint ticket.
“Anything is possible. You just need to communicate. Without communication, you’re not getting anywhere,” Ko said.
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At the event, Ko was also asked to answer the three questions that DPP spokesman Chang Chih-hao (張志豪) asked him a day earlier: Why did he propose “ratifying” the shelved Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement, why had he not taken a stance on China’s most recent ban on mango imports from Taiwan, and, in his opinion, is either the Republic of China (Taiwan’s official name) or the People’s Republic of China (PRC) subordinate to the other?
On why he allegedly proposed ratifying the trade pact, Ko denied having ever done so, accusing the DPP of churning out “fake news” ahead of the election.
Ko claimed he has always maintained that the cross-strait agreement oversight bill should be passed into law first, and then issues facing the stymied Cross-Strait Goods Trade Agreement should be addressed based on the oversight act.
However, in June, a leaked internal “national policy white paper” for Ko’s campaign showed that he advocated ratifying the controversial trade pact that sparked the 2014 mass student-led protests known as the Sunflower Movement.
The Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement should be dealt with last because it would impact people’s lives and is therefore more complex, Ko said.
On whether either the ROC or the PRC is subordinate to the other, he said the fact of the matter is the ROC has no jurisdiction over PRC territory, but the ROC Constitution still claims PRC to be part of its territory.
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Neither President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) nor Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) would dispute this fact, he said.
It is pointless to bicker over whether Taiwan should declare independence or unify with China, because maintaining the “status quo” is a Hobson’s choice and currently the only choice Taiwan has.
Regarding China’s ban on mango imports from Taiwan, Ko said that China has banned this and that over the years, and that such actions were the result of the rivalry between the DPP and the Chinese Communist Party.
“Such behavior is the opposite of what the people want,” Ko said.
“I already answered this question when you [reporters] asked me the first time. Has the DPP spokesman not been watching TV? He should be more diligent,” Ko added.
