Legislator Johnny Chiang’s election as KMT chairman on Saturday reflected support from the party’s younger generation, which wants him to change the party’s traditional China policy. As a result, a congratulatory telegram from China’s leader Xi Jinping, which is normally received by newly-elected KMT leaders, was conspicuously absent this time around. Also, 16 Central Standing Committee members running for re-election on the 32-seat committee ended up keeping their posts, suggesting Chiang could face stiff anti-reform sentiments. Some KMT supporters even think that Chiang may need to change the power structures in the party. According to the results of the KMT chairmanship election, Legislator Johnny Chiang received about 84,000 ballots, or 68% of the vote, thrashing his rival Hau Lung-pin who had just over 38,000 ballots. Johnny ChiangKMT Chairman-electThe election outcome tells me that party members are demanding that I take on this responsibility for the next year and two months. At the same time, a new KMT Central Standing Committee was elected. Sixteen of the 17 old committee members running for election ended up being re-elected, a sign that the strong resistance to reform the party has not waned. Ko Chih-enFormer KMT lawmakerThe new Central Standing Committee has both old cadres and fresh blood. How can we achieve a voice that balances the influence of the old forces and new public opinion? I think this will be an extremely difficult challenge for the chairman in the future. Ma Ying-jeouFormer PresidentIt’s important to come up with a plan that promotes reform and solidarity. Only then can the KMT be brought back to life. After the results of the election were announced, Chiang failed to receive a congratulatory telegram from China’s leader Xi Jinping, unlike his predecessors Hung Hsiu-chu in 2016 and Wu Den-yih in 2017. Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian would only say that she hoped Chiang would uphold the political foundation of safeguarding the 1992 Consensus and opposing Taiwan independence. These remarks from a relatively low level Chinese official caused analysts to wonder if China’s relationship with the KMT had changed because Johnny Chiang’s support for the 1992 Consensus appeared to be wavering. Johnny ChiangKMT Chairman Whenever China talks about the 1992 Consensus, it stresses that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are conspiring to unify and when it points to a “one country, two systems” plan for Taiwan, to some degree it has already shrunk the flexibility and ambiguity of this concept. Ko Chih-enFormer KMT lawmakerI don’t think everyone should dwell on this as the KMT and China’s relationship currently is at a stage where it needs to be redefined once more. Following the party’s drubbing in the legislative and presidential elections, a new leader and a new atmosphere is sorely needed to revive the embattled KMT, but the road ahead is likely to be a long one.
New KMT leader Johnny Chiang fails to receive the usual congratulatory telegram from China...
Legislator Johnny Chiang’s election as KMT chairman on Saturday reflected support from the party’s younger generation, which wants him to change the party’s traditional China policy. As a result, a congratulatory telegram from China’s leader Xi Jinping, which is normally received by newly-elected KMT leaders, was conspicuously absent this time around. Also, 16 Central Standing Committee members running for re-election on the 32-seat committee ended up keeping their posts, suggesting Chiang could face stiff anti-reform sentiments. Some KMT supporters even think that Chiang may need to change the power structures in the party. According to the results of the KMT chairmanship election, Legislator Johnny Chiang received about 84,000 ballots, or 68% of the vote, thrashing his rival Hau Lung-pin who had just over 38,000 ballots. Johnny ChiangKMT Chairman-electThe election outcome tells me that party members are demanding that I take on this responsibility for the next year and two months. At the same time, a new KMT Central Standing Committee was elected. Sixteen of the 17 old committee members running for election ended up being re-elected, a sign that the strong resistance to reform the party has not waned. Ko Chih-enFormer KMT lawmakerThe new Central Standing Committee has both old cadres and fresh blood. How can we achieve a voice that balances the influence of the old forces and new public opinion? I think this will be an extremely difficult challenge for the chairman in the future. Ma Ying-jeouFormer PresidentIt’s important to come up with a plan that promotes reform and solidarity. Only then can the KMT be brought back to life. After the results of the election were announced, Chiang failed to receive a congratulatory telegram from China’s leader Xi Jinping, unlike his predecessors Hung Hsiu-chu in 2016 and Wu Den-yih in 2017. Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian would only say that she hoped Chiang would uphold the political foundation of safeguarding the 1992 Consensus and opposing Taiwan independence. These remarks from a relatively low level Chinese official caused analysts to wonder if China’s relationship with the KMT had changed because Johnny Chiang’s support for the 1992 Consensus appeared to be wavering. Johnny ChiangKMT Chairman Whenever China talks about the 1992 Consensus, it stresses that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are conspiring to unify and when it points to a “one country, two systems” plan for Taiwan, to some degree it has already shrunk the flexibility and ambiguity of this concept. Ko Chih-enFormer KMT lawmakerI don’t think everyone should dwell on this as the KMT and China’s relationship currently is at a stage where it needs to be redefined once more. Following the party’s drubbing in the legislative and presidential elections, a new leader and a new atmosphere is sorely needed to revive the embattled KMT, but the road ahead is likely to be a long one.
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