Ko did not call self-rule supporters ‘trash’: TPP

By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter





The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday said its chairman, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), did not say that “those pursuing Taiwanese independence are all trash.”

The party issued the clarification after Hon Hai Precision Industry founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) quoted Ko as having made the remark.

Gou, Ko and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday shared the stage at a campaign event in New Taipei City to show their support for Gou’s aide and TPP legislative candidate Lee Chin-ying (李縉穎).

From left, Taiwan People’s Party legislative candidate Lee Chin-ying, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou, People First Party Chairman James Soong and Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je join hands at a campaign event in support of Lee in New Taipei City yesterday. Photo: CNA

Gou said that he has asked Lee, if elected, to not abuse his authority to profit, such as by allowing illegal gravel mining, or let his wife affect his political decisions — a remark seemingly directed at Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate.

As Ko arrived at the event later than Gou and Soong, he was the last to speak.

He called on voters to support Lee Chin-ying, saying: “Giving Lee Chin-ying a chance means giving Taiwan and everyone a chance.”

As everyone on stage began chanting slogans in support of Lee Chin-ying, Gou suddenly said he wanted to say something.

“Major Ko speaks bluntly and straightforwardly ... I admire one of his recent remarks the most, which was: ‘Those who pursue Taiwanese independence are all trash,’” Gou said, adding that “we, the ‘Republic of China (ROC) camp,’ definitely will not pursue Taiwanese independence.”

The TPP later in the afternoon issued a statement, saying: “Chairman Terry Gou’s remark is different from Chairman Ko’s remark. Chairman Ko has never said ‘those pursuing Taiwanese independence are all trash.’”

Ko only criticized a specific pro-independence advocate because his family has all immigrated to New Zealand, yet he still holds fundraising banquets in Taiwan every year, the statement said.

Separately yesterday, Ko said he had never said that “those pursuing Taiwanese independence are all trash.”

“Some of those people pursuing Taiwanese independence are liars, but not all of them are liars,” he said, adding that he still admires people who hold on to their beliefs, like Taiwanese independence advocate Su Beng (史明) did.