Taipei, Aug. 21 (CNA) New Power Party (NPP) legislative caucus whip Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) was elected chairman of the party by its decision-making committee Wednesday.

Hsu succeeds Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智), who stepped down Aug. 12 to assume responsibility for the departure of NPP Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) and over an alleged conflict of interest case involving a former assistant to NPP Legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal.

Following his election as NPP chairman, Hsu said he is ready to talk with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and will do his best to secure 1 million votes for the party in the January legislative election.

Hsu said he will stick to Chiu's path of justice and fairness and build a third choice for Taiwan's youth, apart from the DPP and the major opposition Kuomintang (KMT).

He expressed hope that the NPP would swiftly gain enough momentum to play a vital role in the Legislature when the new session opens next February, following the legislative election in January.

On the issue of possible cooperation between the NPP and the DPP, Hsu said he remains open to such a move and is ready to hold dialogue with the DPP at any time.

"It's OK to talk many times," he said. "Apart from elections, we also can discuss polices and values."

Hsu and former NPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang ((黃國昌) have been viewed as hardliners because of their reluctance to tag along with the DPP. Hsu has said that the NPP should field its own candidate for the 2020 presidential election.

Lim left the NPP over a split among its members over the question of whether the party should cooperate with the DPP as a pro-Taiwan independence party or walk its own path to safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty while keeping the DPP in check.

On Wednesday, DPP Secretary General Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) said his party will continue its efforts to seek collaboration with NPP because "we have the same love for Taiwan."

(By Flor Wang and Wang Yang-yu)
Enditem/pc