KMT's Hou and newly named running mate Jaw Shau-kong register candidacy

Taipei, Nov. 24 (CNA) Kuomintang presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) and his running mate Jaw Shau-kong (趙少康) officially registered their candidacy for the 2024 election on Friday, after the latter was named as the party's choice for second place on the ticket.

The two candidates filed their registration at the Central Election Commission around noon on Friday, officially ending the KMT's bid over the past months to team up with the other major opposition party, the Taiwan's People Party (TPP), in an effort to unseat the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Earlier Friday, the KMT named Jaw, a 73-year-old talk show host and former lawmaker, as Hou's running mate in the Jan. 13, 2024 presidential election.

Jaw, who is also chairman of Taiwan's Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC), had parted ways with the KMT in 1993 to form the New Party, in what was a split from the KMT by members of a faction known as the New Kuomintang Alliance. In February 2021, however, Jaw's membership in the KMT was restored, as he was seen by some influential members as a prime candidate for the party's chairmanship and its 2024 presidential ticket.

At a press conference Friday, Hou presented Jaw as his running mate, lauding him as "the most formidable, capable and combat-ready candidate."

Hou also said that up until the last minute, Jaw had been hoping that the KMT would reach an agreement with TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on a joint ticket for the 2024 presidential election.

With the registration deadline looming at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Hou said, he had personally called Ko to make a final pitch for a KMT-TPP alliance, but "the call was not answered."

KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) also spoke at the press conference, saying that although it was humiliating, he and Hou had tried to push for a joint ticket with the TPP.

The months-long discussions on an alliance between the KMT and TPP broke down on Thursday during a session at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Taipei, which was open to the media.

According to Hou, former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who was helping with the KMT's efforts to forge an alliance, was at the session Thursday, still hoping for a resolution, "despite the humiliation of being left to wait" at the hotel for 23 minutes before Ko showed up.

Following the failed efforts, Chu on Friday called for solidarity within the KMT, and he urged the members to work towards the common goal of getting Hou elected.

Jaw, meanwhile, said he will quit his talk shows but will remain as BCC chairman, as the retention of that position does not violate the Public Officials Election and Recall Act.

Also on Friday

Business tycoon Terry Gou drops out of presidential race