TAIPEI – Taiwan’s opposition Nationalist Party, known in Chinese as the Kuomintang, picked as its new leader a woman it had ditched as its presidential candidate weeks before January’s election after a wave of criticism of her campaign.
Pro-China Hung Hsiu-chu, a one-time schoolteacher known by the nickname “Little Hot Chili Pepper”, won 56 per cent of the vote, a Nationalist Party spokeswoman said, beating three other candidates.
“Thanks to so many comrades’ support … giving me a chance to bend down and pick up the first brick to lead the Nationalist Party to rebuild our home from the debris,” Hung told a news conference.
“In the face of such a difficult and hard future situation, as long as we have courage there is no difficulty we cannot overcome. Please join me and work with me,” she added.
Hung’s victory marks a comeback for a woman who, in October, was removed as her party’s candidate for January’s presidential election after a campaign riddled with gaffes and political attacks.
The change made no difference, however, as her replacement, Eric Chu, still ended up being trounced in by Tsai Ing-wen of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Chu resigned as party chief after the defeat.
Tsai will take over as president in May from Ma Ying-jeou who has held the position for the Nationalists since 2008.
The Nationalist Party ruled China before being forced to flee to Taiwan in 1949 at the end of a bloody civil war with the Chinese Communist Party. Beijing claims Taiwan as a renegade province to be brought under its control by force if necessary.
AFP, Reuters
