ELECTION 2024/Presidential hopefuls in full attack mode in TV debate

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) Taiwan's three president hopefuls spent most of Saturday's televised debate attacking each other and defending themselves over personal issues, while devoting some time to relations with China and virtually ignoring domestic issues.

The debate, between ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) nominee Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Taiwan People's Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), and Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), was the only one of this election season, and the candidates used it to bash each other, helped by a format that encouraged it.

Each candidate was given the opportunity to make opening remarks at the debate at the Public Television Service (PTS) headquarters, and Lai used them to go on the attack, first targeting his main rival, Hou, as being too close to China, an accusation the DPP has made throughout the campaign.

Lai criticized Hou for backing a formula known as the "1992 consensus" that was used during the previous KMT administration from 2008 to 2016 to open a dialogue with China, saying that it was a policy from a "previous era."

Lai also said that despite significant changes in the global economy and trade structures, Hou still advocated a revival of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA), an unratified treaty between Taiwan and China.

Shifting his focus to Ko, Lai criticized him for consistently expressing opinions without taking corresponding actions, and said many of the ideas Ko expressed echoed the ongoing efforts of the current government, such as emphasizing fiscal discipline and supporting social housing programs.

Hou, meanwhile, outlined 10 governance issues under the DPP, highlighting solar energy scandals and numerous "dark secrets," and criticizing the DPP as well as Vice President Lai, for their absence of reflection and self-criticism.

Hou was referring to allegations that a solar energy company acquired land through illicit methods in Tainan, a city under DPP rule since 1997.

The case, involving Ku Sheng-hui (古盛煇), a former government official from the DPP administration, is currently under investigation.

Ko also focused on attacking the DPP, attacking it while describing Taiwan as facing shortages of water, electricity, workers, land, talent, and even eggs, pork, vaccines, and rapid screening.

He also tried to position himself as an alternative to the two major parties, saying that "from 2000 to today, the KMT and DPP have taken turns in power, only to let everyone down again and again."

In the next segment, representatives from the five major media outlets each asked one question, with four of them covering topics related to dealing with China.

Hou defended himself as being too close to China, asserting his opposition to both formal Taiwan independence and the "one country, two systems" approach that China used when it initially took over Hong Kong but has since reneged on.

Ko emphasized that the bottom line for engaging with China is Taiwan's desire to preserve its existing democratic and free political system and way of life.

Lai, one the other hand, said as long as there can be equal dignity, "we are also willing to communicate and cooperate with China," a continuation of the current policy of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) that has not yielded any openings with Beijing.

The debate then became an exercise in mudslinging, reflecting the generally negative tenor of the campaign that has seen each campaign trying to reveal "scandals" involving the others, when the candidates asked each other questions.

This questioning continued for three rounds, with most of the questions seeking to highlight flaws in the others' character or integrity, and Hou and Ko occasionally teaming up to attack Lai, who is the clear frontrunner in the polls.

Some of the sharpest exchanges focused on the controversy involving Lai's family home in New Taipei, which the KMT and TPP have insisted is an illegal structure.

The Lai camp has contended that the house has been in existence since 1958, while the government of New Taipei, where the house is located, said it was built from the ground up in 2003.

The New Taipei government said in September that the house could only be acknowledged as a legal building if the owner provided evidence that the structure predated 1981.

Ko questioned how Lai was going to transform his family house in New Taipei into a miners' museum -- a proposal he previously put forward in a policy presentation.

"You claimed it [the house] was a redevelopment of your father's old shack, portraying it as quite pitiful, to the point you even shed tears," Ko asserted, suggesting that Lai may have sought sympathy through an emotional display.

"This blatant deception by the ruling DPP infuriates me the most," the former Taipei mayor said.

Lai, meanwhile, dismissed Ko's remark, stating that the status of the house was a result of the insufficient assistance and lack of reorganization for houses in the mining area after the abolition of mining rights.

Lai then shifted his attention to a five-story dormitory near Chinese Culture University owned by Hou's wife, a property that the ruling party has used to bash Hou by saying students were being charged excessively high rents to live there.

Lai asked Hou how he could discuss housing justice. "What ability do you possess to lead the country and support the younger generation?" Lai said.

Hou disputed Lai's contention, and said that all aspects of the building, including that it was divided up into 99 units to rent to students, was legal.

"The 99 addresses are all legal structures. You can go and verify it," he said.

The building was inherited by his wife, and "everything is legal," Hou said, urging Lai not to launch a smear campaign.

In their brief closing remarks, each of the three candidates shared their vision for a better Taiwan, with Lai going back to China, saying that Taiwan was now on the right path, and in the process of breaking free from reliance on the Chinese economy and no longer succumbing to pressure from Beijing.

Ko emphasized his commitment to continue the path of reform, mentioning the need for improvement in housing justice as well as energy stability.

Meanwhile, Hou pledged to establish a transparent government that will be "unlike the DPP, which operates as a dictatorship." He said his government will possess the ability to form a coalition government, fulfilling the people's aspiration for a change away from the DPP.

He also aligned with Ko, advising him not to shed tears over the DPP's smearing, referring to Ko choking up when he discussed accusations that a piece of agricultural land his family owns in Hsinchu that he turned into a parking lot illegally.

"We don't need to shed tears. We must move forward bravely in the face of all blows," the KMT nominee said.

The candidates will spend the next two weeks hitting the campaign trail, trying to convince undecided voters as well as consolidating their respective bases to get supporters to turn out on Jan. 13, 2024.

Further reading

▶ Presidential candidates voice disapproval of foreign electoral interference

▶ Taiwan's presidential candidates tackle death penalty in debate

▶ DPP, KMT candidates reject independence, pro-China labels at debate

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