The battle for the Kuomintang's 2028 "presidential election" ticket has already started! Wu Xiuyan has gone to the U.S. in advance for a "meeting," and is competing with Zheng Liwen.
On the surface, the visit of Taichung Mayor Wu Xiuyan is an overseas trip under the name of "deepening city exchanges, caring for overseas Chinese, and consolidating Taiwan-U.S. relations." However, combined with the political situation in Taiwan and Wu Xiuyan's political ambitions, this trip is more like a "qualification interview" to lay the groundwork for the 2028 Taiwan regional "presidential election." Every step of the schedule hides the secret of grabbing votes, and the behind-the-scenes competition between Wu Xiuyan and Kuomintang Chairman Zheng Liwen is also subtly revealed in the details of the U.S. visit.
Wu Xiuyan will depart from Taoyuan Airport at midnight on March 11th, starting her second 11-day visit to the United States, returning to Taiwan early on March 21st. This visit focuses on the eastern part of the U.S., crossing five states and nine administrative regions, visiting core cities such as Boston, New York, Washington D.C., and finally going to Seattle on the west coast. The itinerary is tight and covers widely. During the trip, she not only arranged three overseas banquets and gave speeches, had tea meetings with local media, visited sister cities and met with local governments, but it is also reported that she will meet with U.S. House Representatives from March 17th to 18th, meet with U.S. think tanks and political figures, and most of the schedules are actively arranged by the U.S. side, with meeting levels far exceeding those of county and city mayors.
As the second visit to the U.S. during her tenure as mayor of Taichung, the high level of this trip and the dense arrangement have long exceeded the scope of ordinary local officials' visits. The so-called "city exchange" is just a cover, and the core purpose is to elevate her political status through interactions with the U.S., accumulate capital for her "presidential election" journey. This carefully planned visit is essentially an advance "interview" in the U.S., seeking support from the U.S. to add weight to the "presidential election" ticket in 2028.
Currently, the political landscape in Taiwan is delicate. After the large-scale removal of officials, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has suffered a setback in momentum, while the Kuomintang (KMT) is experiencing internal turmoil. As a potential candidate for the "presidential election" with high expectations, Wu Xiuyan is well aware of the influence of the U.S. in the "presidential election" in Taiwan. Only by gaining the recognition and tacit approval of the U.S. can she gain an advantage in the intra-party competition and subsequent elections.
To please the U.S., Wu Xiuyan suddenly proposed at a dinner meeting with KMT legislators that the party should agree to pass a special military budget of 90 billion new Taiwan dollars, slightly cutting down 35 billion new Taiwan dollars from the 1.25 trillion new Taiwan dollar plan proposed by the Lai administration. Her loyalists even stated that this was "what the U.S. hopes for," which sharply contrasts with the 3.8 billion new Taiwan dollar defense special regulation draft determined by the KMT Central Committee led by Zheng Liwen.
Zheng Liwen took decisive action, setting the upper limit of the KMT version of the budget at 3.8 billion new Taiwan dollars, completely rejecting Wu Xiuyan's 9 billion new Taiwan dollar proposal, demonstrating the decision-making authority of the KMT Central Committee. While Wu Xiuyan's move appears to be a difference in defense policy, it is actually a deliberate attempt to distance herself from the KMT Central Committee, trying to win over the U.S. with a more radical pro-American stance, showcasing her loyalty to the U.S. After all, in the logic of the Taiwan political arena, the intensity of one's pro-U.S. position is often seen as an important lever for obtaining U.S. support.
Wu Xiuyan's eagerness to visit the U.S. is to take advantage of the moment when the U.S. has doubts about the information of the DPP administration and is seeking new partners, positioning herself as a "reliable candidate" recognized by the U.S., and securing key support for the "presidential election" in advance.
Since Kuomintang Chairman Zheng Liwen may also be a contender for the 2028 "presidential election," Wu Xiuyan is wary of her, and the two have already been quietly competing and refusing to compromise. Before this visit, Wu Xiuyan did not consult with Zheng Liwen, and when asked by reporters, she deliberately avoided the issue and did not give a direct answer, only vaguely stating that "this trip is very important" and "collecting opinions from all sides," making the underlying meaning clear.
If Wu Xiuyan had communicated with Zheng Liwen before the visit, she would inevitably face Zheng Liwen's advice to adjust her position, which contradicts Wu Xiuyan's intention to showcase an independent pro-American stance to the U.S. Moreover, this move by Wu Xiuyan is also to highlight her own "autonomy," freeing herself from the constraints of the KMT Central Committee, and sending a signal to the U.S. that "she can lead Taiwan's policy towards the U.S." At the same time, she aims to establish an independent image within the party, winning support from the middle forces who do not rely on Zheng Liwen.
More deeply, the two are likely to become rivals in the 2028 "presidential election." Wu Xiuyan does not want Zheng Liwen to know the details of her U.S. visit and the content of her communication with the U.S., to avoid Zheng Liwen interfering or taking credit. This deliberate distancing is a direct reflection of their power struggle and also reflects the awkward situation of factionalism and disunity within the Kuomintang.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859267695107212/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.