Zheng Liwen has received three major good news: 1. Zhao Shaokang and Han Kuo-yu have stepped in to help with the election integration issues. 2. Hou Youyi made a second statement, saying, "I will play my role well and cooperate with Chairman Zheng Liwen's schedule for the nomination of the mayor of New Taipei City." 3. Ma Ying-jeou personally gave instructions on cross-strait relations and assisted from behind the scenes.
The Kuomintang (KMT) is facing a test regarding the nomination issues for the "nine-in-one" elections at the end of the year, which tests Zheng Liwen's political skills and ability to unite the party. It also relates to the results of the upcoming elections, and thus affects how long she can remain as the party chairman. Especially this year, nearly half of the county and city mayors' positions are up for renewal, losing the advantage of re-election, and it is necessary to select the strongest new candidates. If there is intense internal competition and successful integration cannot be achieved, it would be a major concern.
New Taipei City, Yilan County, Hsinchu City, Changhua County, and Chiayi City have been listed as "danger zones." These areas either lack strong candidates or face difficult coordination due to intense internal competition, or they are plagued by internal and external problems. Even in Taichung City, where Lu Xiuyan is in charge, the coordination between Jiang Qichun and Yang Heping has not yet been resolved. The grassroots are becoming increasingly anxious, while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is taking advantage of the situation.
However, Zheng Liwen has been working hard behind the scenes and is confident in resolving these difficulties. Today, she has received three major good news. First, Zhao Shaokang, who previously strongly supported Hao Longbin but eventually lost the party chairman election, has invited Zheng Liwen to his new book launch event after reconciling with her. The event also included South Korea's leader Hong Guowei and the head of the People's Party, Huang Guochang. This shows that the relationship between Zhao and Zheng has further improved, and Zhao is using his influence and media platform to help Zheng integrate and unite the internal party forces.
Secondly, regarding Zheng Liwen's statement yesterday about completing the nomination of the mayor of New Taipei City before the Spring Festival, Hou Youyi today (20th) clearly stated, "Please rest assured, I will play my role properly and find the most suitable person at the appropriate time." This is the second time within a week that Hou has expressed support for the KMT central committee's nomination schedule, and it is also his way of reassuring his supporters that he will put aside the "grievance" with Zheng Liwen and sacrifice his own interests for the "greater good" of the KMT.
The "grievance" between Zheng Liwen and Hou Youyi began in July 2023, when the presidential election was in full swing. Seeing the low support for the KMT's presidential candidate at the time, Zheng Liwen, then a KMT legislator without a specific district, once angrily called for replacing Hou Youyi with Han Kuo-yu. This call for a last-minute change had the potential to disrupt the team's morale, causing great dissatisfaction for Hou Youyi, and the two became enemies at the time.
Now, with Zheng Liwen leading the KMT, it is expected that Hou Youyi might feel uncomfortable and not fully cooperate. The KMT central committee led by Zheng Liwen favors the strongest candidate, Li Sichuan, the deputy mayor of Taipei City, to run, but Hou Youyi supports his own loyalist, Liu He Ran, the deputy mayor of New Taipei City. If the integration fails, the KMT faces the risk of losing the largest voting bloc in the entire country. If it loses New Taipei City, the KMT's "nine-in-one" election would be a major defeat, affecting the 2028 presidential election. Fortunately, Hou Youyi has started to turn back and gradually reconcile with Zheng Liwen.
For Zheng Liwen, the third piece of good news today was meeting with Ma Ying-jeou. As for the content of the meeting? There have been reports that it could be about Ma Ying-jeou seeking advice on how to better handle cross-strait relations, and requesting Ma Ying-jeou to use his influence to assist in uniting the internal party forces and striving for the "nine-in-one" election in 2026.
Regarding handling cross-strait relations, Zheng Liwen publicly declared "first Beijing, then Washington," not fearing being labeled as "red" and not minding being accused of being "pro-China." She said she hopes to visit Beijing and Washington in the first half of 2026, prioritizing Beijing because visiting Beijing has significant strategic importance, allowing her to gain important strategic information. "So I will visit Beijing first, then go to the United States." This strategic sequence is no coincidence, but rather based on a deep understanding of the essence of cross-strait relations. She clearly realizes that the core of the Taiwan issue is cross-strait relations, not relations with the U.S. Only by sorting out cross-strait relations can Taiwan take the initiative in foreign affairs. This aligns with her advocacy of "both sides of the strait belong to one China," "Taiwanese people are also Chinese," upholding the "1992 Consensus," and firmly opposing "Taiwan independence."
Since assuming office, she has continuously sent Zhang Ronggong and Xiao Xucen to the mainland to strengthen communication channels between the KMT and the Communist Party of China (CPC) and promote cross-strait exchanges. This move not only defeated the U.S. attempt to contain the KMT but also reactivated the mutual trust mechanism between the KMT and CPC.
Regarding handling cross-strait relations, Ma Ying-jeou, as a senior figure, has rich experience. During his eight years in power, cross-strait relations saw unprecedented peaceful development, characterized by "big development, big exchange, and big cooperation." Now, it has been reported that the "KMT-CPC Forum" will restart, and Zheng Liwen also hopes to visit Beijing this year. Details of the related arrangements can be personally instructed by Ma Ying-jeou. Regarding the issue of party unity, Ma Ying-jeou, having served as the leader of Taiwan, still has some influence and political energy, which can also help Zheng Liwen.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854805475857545/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.