Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang presidential candidate, Hou Youyi, returned to Taiwan after his visit to Japan on Wednesday (August 2). During this trip, he expressed to Japanese political friends and Japanese media that he would work hard to avoid war in Taiwan, and would continue to strengthen national defense and armaments to promote cross-strait dialogue. He emphasized that "only when the Taiwan Strait is stable and Taiwan is safe, Japan can feel at ease."
Scholars interviewed believe that Japan does not want Taiwan and mainland China to get too close, but it also does not want cross-strait relations to become tense. Hou Youyi mainly explained to Japan the KMT's policy toward Japan and national defense, expressing his understanding of the current tense situation in the Taiwan Strait, and emphasizing that he has the ability to ease the tension.
KMT chairman Zhu Lilun often affirms Hou Youyi's successful visit to Japan in mid-Wednesdays, reiterating that "pro-US, friendship with Japan, and harmony with China" is the path the KMT is firmly on. A candidate who really has an international outlook, maintains cross-strait peace, and allows everyone to live a good life.
The Kuomintang Party Congress on July 23 officially nominated Hou Youyi as the 2024 presidential candidate. Related polls show that Hou Youyi's support has rebounded slightly, but still lags behind the ruling Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Lai Qingde and other candidates. Ke Wenzhe, the opposition Democratic Party presidential candidate.
Zhu Lilun said that the Kuomintang's internal polls show that Hou Youyi has caught up with Ke Wenzhe, and now the gap with Lai Qingde is very small. But he did not release specific data.
Hou Youyi visited Japan on July 31, where he met Hagiuda Koichi, who is the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party’s political investigation and is regarded as a popular candidate for the future prime minister, and 36 cross-party congressmen and important leaders of political parties, including former prime minister Taro Aso.
Hou Youyi posted on Facebook on Wednesday that when the two sides of the Taiwan Strait were peaceful and stable in the past, Taiwan-Japan exchanges and discussions were all about economy, trade, culture, and tourism. .
He emphasized that he would use former President Ma Ying-jeou's "no reunification, no independence, and no force" to bring Taiwan back to the status quo of cross-strait stability when the Kuomintang was in power. He also hoped that Taiwan and Japan could sign a free trade agreement in the future to make the economic interaction between the two sides more close.
He Sishen, director of the Center for Japanese and East Asian Studies at Fu Jen Catholic University, told Lianhe Zaobao that apart from meeting with Japanese dignitaries, the Matsumoto Building that Hou Youyi visited this time was the place where Sun Yat-sen lived in Japan during the Second Revolution and preserved the buildings used by Sun Yat-sen during his residence. Cultural relics and information. This is the first time that a Kuomintang politician has visited this place. As the Kuomintang presidential candidate, Hou Youyi's visit to Matsumoto Building can not only show that the Kuomintang has not forgotten Sun Yat-sen, but also arouse the friendship between Japan and Sun Yat-sen a hundred years ago.
He analyzed that although Lai Ching-te was unable to visit Japan due to his status as vice president, his pro-Japanese stance is unquestionable, but it is quite difficult for this "pragmatic Taiwan independence worker" to resume cross-strait dialogue. Ke Wenzhe visited Japan in June. His attitude is moderate and he has little connection with Taiwan independence, but his experience in handling cross-strait affairs is not as rich as that of the KMT. The Kuomintang is more capable of maintaining cross-strait balance, which is Hou Youyi's advantage.
