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Ko seeking kingmaker role for TPP in LY
Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je says his party is aiming to double its seats to 10 in January's legislative elections.
Speaking during an online campaign event, Ko said if the TPP meets that goal, it will hold the balance of power in the Legislative Yuan if, as he's claiming is expected, neither the DPP nor the KMT wins an outright majority.
And according to Ko, he's optimistic about the TPP's chances of winning the 10 seats, as it managed to clinch five seats in the last legislative election less than a year after its founding. All five incumbent TPP lawmakers represent at-large constituencies.
And Ko says the party this year is seeking to be more competitive in single-member districts. The TPP has been the third-largest party in the Legislative Yuan since 2020. The DPP currently has 63 seats, while the KMT has 38 seats.
In other campaign news, KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih says if elected, he will seek to maintain friendly relations with both China and the United States. His statement came after Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je had said earlier this week that he will follow President Tsai Ing-wen's foreign policy if elected.
Ko also indicated that while he favours a more amicable approach to ties with China, he also stressed that in the military domain he remains committed to developing Taiwan's self-defence capabilities.
The KMT presidential candidate has accused the DPP of "upsetting the balance of cross-strait relations" - saying that has resulted in increased tensions and the imminent threat of conflict. Hou said that while he fully understands the need not to harbour unrealistic expectations when dealing with China, he also firmly believes that Taiwan's security cannot be solely dependent on promises from the United States.
Meanwhile, Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je says he believes the use of artificial intelligence can help improve Taiwan's farming environment. At an event outlining his agricultural policies, Ko proposed five main areas that he said would improve Taiwan's agricultural industry.
Ko said he would establish a database of agricultural products and farmland, and use AI to create an industry-academia-government dialogue platform. He said the moves would help to establish a robust nationwide agricultural system.
Ko has also promised to establish a "strategic food security plan," so the government can react quickly to ensure sufficient food supplies, and says he will work with smallholder farmers to assist in establishing their brands. And he's also pledging to raise the "maternity benefits" for those covered by the Farmer Health Insurance to NT$102,000 - saying this will help attract more young people to work in the agricultural sector.
