Who is Hou Yu-ih? Taiwan's KMT choses new Taipei mayor as 2024 presidential candidate

Taiwan's main opposition party, Kuomintang (KMT), has chosen new Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih as its presidential candidate for the upcoming January election. The selection of Hou is seen as a pivotal moment for the island nation, as the election is widely regarded as a referendum on Taiwan's future. Hou, 65 years old, was nominated by the mainland-friendly KMT to compete against Vice-President William Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Ko Wen-je, leader of the smaller Taiwan People's Party.

KMT leader Eric Chu Li-luan announced the party's decision after a meeting on Wednesday to determine its candidate. Chu, who previously held the position of New Taipei Mayor before Hou, described the candidate as a "justice promoter with experience and a macro perspective in terms of leadership." According to a report from South China Morning Post, he expressed confidence that Hou would be able to unite the party in the best interests of Taiwan and its people, and lead the KMT back to power in 2024.

Will Hou be able to unite Kuomintang? 

Hou, in his response, expressed gratitude for the support from party members and pledged to do his utmost to unify the KMT, alleviate cross-strait tensions, provide hope and a promising future for young people in Taiwan, and ultimately guide the KMT to victory in the upcoming election.

Unlike holding a primary, the KMT selected its presidential candidate based on public opinion polls, support from KMT local government heads and legislators, as well as internal reviews and evaluations within the party. Hou, known for being one of the island's most popular mayors with a high approval rating among voters across Taiwan, faced a significant challenge from billionaire Foxconn founder Terry Gou. Analysts believe that Hou will face formidable obstacles, including the task of unifying the party, gaining support from young voters, and refining his cross-strait and foreign policies, which have been identified as potential weaknesses.

A quick look at Hou's political career

Hou's political career began in the early 1990s as a law enforcer before ascending to the position of head of the National Police Agency in 2006, a role he held for two years. He later became the president of the Central Police University and served as deputy mayor under Chu in 2010. In 2018, when Chu stepped down, Hou was elected as the mayor of New Taipei and subsequently won a second term in last year's local elections, during which the KMT made significant gains.

Taiwan People's Party a threat to Kuomintang? 

Arthur Wang Zhin-sheng, the secretary general of the Asia-Pacific Elite Interchange Association, a Taipei think tank, highlighted concerns for Hou regarding the third-party candidate Ko. Wang noted that Ko could potentially split the KMT vote, particularly among the youth sector and the "mild blue" camp—referring to individuals who are aligned with the mainland-friendly "pan-blue camp" but are not strongly affiliated with the KMT or other parties. Furthermore, Wang pointed out that Hou may lack experience in areas such as international affairs and cross-strait politics compared to his rivals, Ko and Lai.

As the presidential campaign unfolds, the selection of Hou Yu-ih as the KMT's candidate sets the stage for a highly anticipated election that will shape Taiwan's future trajectory and its relationship with regional powers.