TAIPEI (TVBS News) — With the countdown to register for Taiwan's 2024 presidential and vice-presidential election underway, Taiwan People's Party (TPP) candidate Ko Wen-je affirmed on Wednesday (Nov. 22) his resolve to present the "strongest team," while Kuomintang (KMT) presidential hopeful Hou Yu-ih appealed for unity among opposition forces and expressed his willingness to wait until the end.
Ko's campaign has already retrieved candidacy registration papers that day, and a representative for Foxconn founder and independent presidential candidate Terry Gou also collected papers on his behalf, signaling their possible entries into the race.
Efforts to consolidate opposition parties have stalled, with progress toward integration close to collapsing. Gou has twice invited both Hou and Ko for discussions on a potential collaboration, but the meetings did not take place due to conflicting schedules for Hou.
As the registration deadline swiftly approaches, consensus among the parties has yet to be reached. Ko Wen-je's campaign spokesperson, Austin Tai, cautioned that if Hou's camp continues to fixate on the minutiae of polling details, the tripartite meeting may not occur.
Hou maintained that the prospect of creating a 'Hou-Ko pairing' largely depends on Ko's decision. With time running out for the opposition to unite, the political landscape remains in suspense as Taiwan gears up for the 2024 elections.