TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Just ahead of the Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate announcement, KMT Chair Eric Chu (朱立倫) met both contenders, New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) and Foxconn founder Terry Gou (郭台銘), on Monday evening (May 15).

The opposition party will announce its choice for the Jan. 13, 2024 election at its regular weekly leadership meeting on Wednesday (May 17), amid fears of a confrontation between supporters of the two camps. Chu met Gou and Hou separately, Radio Taiwan International (RTI) reported.

Details of the conversations were not released to the media, but Gou's supporters canceled a news conference planned for Tuesday. Legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍) was to chair the news conference to call on KMT leaders to pick Gou as the presidential candidate.

However, Chen said Gou had asked to cancel the event. She said he did not provide a reason, so she did not know if it was linked to Gou’s meeting with Chu, which lasted more than four hours, per CNA.

During a visit to a public works project on Tuesday, Hou said he respected the KMT process and wanted to do his utmost for the country and people. He did not comment on his meeting with Chu or on his relationship with Gou.

KMT supporters have accused the party's leadership of waiting too long to announce its presidential candidate. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chose Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) as its contender in April, while former Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) is expected to be nominated by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) unopposed.