Han officially announces run in KMT primary

OUT IN THE OPEN: The Kaohsiung mayor said that, if he is elected next year, he would aim to move Taiwanese away from poverty and unhappiness

By Wang Chun-chi, Yu Tai-lang and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writer





Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) yesterday announced before a rally in Hualien that he has officially registered to run in the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) primary and pledged to allot infrastructure funding indiscriminately among urban and rural areas.

Han, appearing at about 5pm with his wife, Lee Chia-fen (李佳芬), was greeted by calls of “A commoner president to unify Taiwan” and “Vote Han into presidency.”

The event organizer estimated that about 150,000 people attended the rally.

Supporters of Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu’s presidential aspirations wave Republic of China flags at a rally in Hualien City yesterday. Photo: Wang Chun-chi, Taipei Times

Han said that 2020 would be a “life-and-death battle for the Republic of China” and that he aimed to move Taiwan away from poverty and unhappiness.

Blaming the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for inter-party fighting and public unhappiness, Han said: “Politics should not be devoid of humanity and should be capable of bringing warmth, passion and laughter to the people.”

Hualien County, once renowned as a tourist hotspot, has over the past two or three years lost 18 major flight paths, including one that flew to Hong Kong, Han said.

With beautiful scenery and capable residents, the county does not lack the necessary foundation, but is prevented from rebuilding due to public transportation issues, he said.

“Like a wuxia [武俠, martial-arts literature] master well versed in neikung [but suffering from a blocked acupuncture point], Hualien Commissioner Hsu Chen-wei (徐榛蔚) is unable to channel her qi into a lethal attack,” Han said.

Han said that, if elected, he would not overlook the people of Yilan, Hualien and Taitung counties, but would expedite construction of the Suhua Expressway, facilitate Hualien-Taichung transportation and develop better healthcare and education infrastructure in the area.

Hsu voiced support for Han’s presidential bid and called on the public to vote for a president that would keep the nation safe and make Taiwanese wealthy.

Separately yesterday, former New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫), a KMT presidential hopeful, said that he wishes the best for Han’s rally, adding that if every KMT candidate does well, the KMT as a whole would do well.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海集團) chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘), also a KMT presidential hopeful, criticized Han, saying that he was not familiar with the concept of overhead.

Policies that are friendly to the economy should promote the use of local wares and products to provide local stimulus, he added.