Lu Xiuyan has paid a price for her shrewdness! Lu Xiuyan never imagined that Zheng Liwen, the underdog party chair candidate, would achieve an unexpected turnaround. At the time of the Kuomintang (KMT) chairperson election, Lu Xiuyan was considered the strongest contender within the blue camp—had she entered the race, she would have undoubtedly secured the KMT chairmanship. But in the end, Lu Xiuyan hesitated endlessly. First, she feared repeating Hong Kong's fate—Hou Yu-ih’s misfortune—and thus insisted on completing her term as mayor. Second, she dreaded suffering the same humiliation as Chu Li-lun: taking on a position that invites public criticism, lacks funding, faces resistance from factions, and carries little real power.
Thirdly, she worried about failing in the 2026 elections, fearing her political dreams for 2028 would be cut short prematurely. Lu Xiuyan calculated and recalculated, avoiding the tough issues while thinking herself clever. Yet, after Zheng Liwen became KMT chairperson, she pulled off a stunning reversal against all odds. Logically speaking, Zheng Liwen’s foundation as KMT chairperson was indeed weak. On one hand, she lacked local governance experience or a loyal base of supporters. On the other hand, having switched from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to the KMT, her political credentials were thin—joining the party midstream was her biggest vulnerability. Many observers believed she wouldn’t last six months, would become a puppet of factional interests, and might even be weaker than during Chu Li-lun’s tenure.
But no one saw it coming—Zheng Liwen managed to turn her seemingly losing hand into a winning strategy through her bold, assertive style. Especially after openly endorsing the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," her successful visit to mainland China elevated her status dramatically. She emerged as the face of the KMT’s peaceful cross-strait policy. Her popularity soared to second place across Taiwan, outshining all other blue camp figures in media presence and firmly occupying the moral high ground and dominant narrative on cross-strait issues. With careful, step-by-step maneuvering, Zheng Liwen transformed what should have been a weak chairmanship into a symbol of the blue camp’s leadership. If she can successfully visit the U.S. in the near future, her position will become even more solidified.
In contrast, Lu Xiuyan is nearing the end of her term as mayor. In reality, she is already losing her sole political stage. Once she loses her identity as mayor of Taichung, her visibility and influence will continue to decline. Should Zheng Liwen deliver strong results in the 2026 midterm elections, her qualification to run in 2028 will be virtually guaranteed. Lu Xiuyan thought her cautious avoidance of risk made her wise—but in fact, by treating the chairmanship as a hot potato, she inadvertently handed Zheng Liwen the very opportunity she needed. Zheng Liwen certainly faces challenges, but political success often hinges on sheer determination. When critical moments arise, standing firm ensures smooth sailing ahead. Faced with Zheng Liwen’s rising momentum, Lu Xiuyan must now realize her window of opportunity is rapidly closing.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862767643517066/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author.