TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s KMT, the country’s largest opposition party, is preparing for the election of a chair could influence both its political direction and cross-strait policy.
The party, which leads a coalition controlling the legislature, is turning to an internal vote after fending off multiple recall attempts against its lawmakers earlier this year. The outcome will shape the KMT’s approach to defense and foreign policy, while setting the stage for the 2028 presidential race after three straight defeats to the DPP, according to Nikkei Asia.
Candidate registration has been extended to mid-September, with the vote scheduled for October. More than six contenders have already emerged, including sitting and former lawmakers, local officials, and party leaders.
KMT elder Hu Chih-chiang (胡志強), a former foreign minister and longtime Taichung mayor, ruled out a bid in July while promoting his memoir. He urged the party to give younger figures a chance at leadership.
The new chair will be tasked with reshaping the party’s image and managing its legislative majority. The KMT-led coalition has repeatedly clashed with President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) administration over expanding parliamentary powers and blocking reforms.
The leadership race is also expected to affect Taiwan’s ties with Beijing and Washington. US President Donald Trump has pressed Taipei with tariffs and defense spending demands, while China continues to claim the country.
The next chair will also need to address the party’s stance on China. The “1992 Consensus,” which frames cross-strait ties under the principle of “one China” with differing interpretations, has been rejected in recent presidential elections and is not backed by the KMT’s coalition partner, the TPP.
Some within the party have acknowledged the difficulty. Su Chi (蘇起), the former minister who coined the term, wrote in a recent book that the KMT has failed to appeal to younger voters and neglected talent development under former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
Observers say the party must move beyond historical claims of experience with the Chinese Communist Party and instead offer a credible cross-strait policy. The outcome of the race for chair will be central to determining whether the KMT can regain the presidency in 2028.
Key figures such as Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), and lawmaker Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) have not declared their candidacies. Incumbent chair Eric Chu (朱立倫) has said he will not seek another term, though speculation continues that he and Lu could still join the race.
