Mainland China-friendly Taiwanese lawmaker tipped to lead group tasked with promoting democracy

Han Kuo-yu, Taiwan’s new legislative speaker from the mainland-friendly Kuomintang (KMT), is expected to take up the helm as chairman of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD), an entity sanctioned by Beijing. The non-profit, government-funded organisation plays a key role in Taiwan’s engagement with the world. Its stated goals are to build partnerships with civil … Read more

Taiwan’s KMT opposition secures speaker’s chair and strengthens power to check next president William Lai’s policies on mainland China

Johnny Chiang, a KMT legislator and former party chairman, took the vice-speaker’s post. Han defeated his opponent You Si-kun of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in a 54-51 narrow victory, securing the support of two independents to take the speaker’s chair after eight years of DPP control. The smaller opposition party – the Taiwan People’s … Read more

Can Taiwan’s KMT convert electoral success into the top legislative job?

In a meeting with the KMT’s newly elected legislators on Monday, party chairman Eric Chu Li-luan confirmed that legislator-elect Han Kuo-yu, a former Kaohsiung mayor and ex-presidential candidate, would be the party’s candidate for the legislative speaker role – also known as the legislative presidency – to be decided on February 1. Legislator-elect Johnny Chiang, … Read more