- Han Kuo-yu went from the Kuomintang’s great hope to its big disappointment in just two years, as the pro-independence camp gained momentum
- Beijing’s hardline position on the island is a barrier to peaceful cross-strait links, analysts say
South China Morning Post
Date: 13 Jun, 2020
By: Kristin Huang
Less than two years ago, Han Kuo-yu was the great hope of Taiwan’s Beijing-friendly Kuomintang party.
Running on a platform of economic prosperity for all and playing down the party’s traditional pro-unification views, Han stormed home in a traditional Democratic Progressive Party stronghold to become mayor of Kaohsiung – the island’s second-biggest city – in late 2018.
His win raised hopes within the party that he could be the one to lead them out of the electoral wilderness and forge a path towards better relations with the mainland.
In March 2019, despite no official links across the Taiwan Strait, Han made a rare trip to mainland China and held talks with top officials from the Taiwan Affairs Office.
[FULL STORY]
