TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) announced Tuesday his intention to run for KMT chair, saying he is both willing and preparing for a potential campaign.
Hau said he plans to consult KMT veteran Jaw Shau-kong (趙少康) to determine who is more suitable for the race, but added that his own willingness to run is greater than Jaw’s, per UDN.
If elected chair, Hau said his primary goals would be to strengthen the KMT internally and facilitate cooperation with the TPP. He argued that recent joint efforts between the opposition parties during the recall campaign against KMT lawmakers demonstrate a workable path forward for defeating the DPP.
Hau emphasized that he has no personal conflict with former TPP Chair Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), and said he is confident in his ability to collaborate with the TPP. When asked about tensions between KMT Taipei City Councilor Yu Shu-hui (游淑慧), Chung Hsiao-ping (鍾小平), and the TPP, Hau said it would be up to those individuals to resolve their differences.
Hau also outlined three guiding principles he would uphold as KMT chair: the party will not pander to China, submit to the US, or cater to Japan, per NOWnews.
He stressed that while Taiwan must be prepared for war, the priority should be preventing conflict. Cross-strait dialogue should be pursued, he added, but only when the dignity of all participants is respected.
KMT Chair Eric Chu (朱立倫) recently provided Jaw the opportunity to run. Jaw responded by saying he would only enter the race if Chu, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), and Hau decide not to run.
A political insider told Tai Sounds that Chu’s move may be a strategic attempt to draw other KMT heavyweights into the race. Those mentioned include Lu, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜), Taoyuan Mayor Simon Chang (張善政), and Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜).
The insider added that only these five, along with Chu himself, are considered capable of organizing the KMT’s campaigns for the 2026 local elections and the 2028 general election. So far, nine individuals have formally declared their candidacies for KMT chair:
- Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強)
- Sun Yat-sen School President Chang Ya-chung (張亞中)
- Central Standing Committee member Sun Chien-ping (孫健萍)
- Former Changhua County Magistrate Cho Po-yuan (卓伯源)
- Former Legislator Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文)
- Former Deputy Secretary-General Chang Ya-ping (張雅屏)
- Changhua County Council Speaker Hsieh Dian-lin (謝典林)
- Lawyer Li Han-jung (李漢中)
- Former National Assembly Member Tsai Chih-hung (蔡志弘)
