NEW TAIPEI (TVBS News) — New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih acknowledged Wednesday (Jan. 17) that he’d phoned his presidential rivals Ko Wen-je and Lai Ching-te on election night, advocating for unity and stressing the importance of listening to the public and resolving issues when facing future challenges.
Hou, running on the Kuomintang (KMT) ticket, lost the 2024 presidential race last Saturday.
Peggy Chen, wife of Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je, revealed that Ko received a call from a KMT-affiliated individual on election night. Rumors were rife that this individual was Hou.
Ko reportedly ignored Hou's numerous calls, expressing a reluctance to be "fooled for a second time," according to Chen.
Mayor Hou confirmed that he had indeed made the call after the election results were final. He hoped for unity when Taiwan faces challenges in the future, stating that solving the people's urgent problems is the more important task for politicians after an election.