Taiwan 2024 Presidential Nominees
William Lai Ching-te, the 64 year-old Vice President, is a former Premier (2017-19), Tainan mayor (2010-17), DPP legislator (1999-2010), and National Assemblyman (1996-99). He resigned as President of the Executive Yuan (premier) after 16 months following severe setbacks in local elections. He then challenged President Tsai Ing-wen for the party leadership, and lost. Lai subsequently joined Tsai's successful campaign as the Vice Presidential nominee. He has a Master's degree in Public Health from Harvard.
Lai rose out of the former New Tide opposition faction associated with independence activists (as opposed to reform-minded elected Tangwai officials). Although the faction later moderated its independence stance, it has long been considered the more progressive – and very successful – wing of the non-KMT political spectrum. The party eliminated factions in 2006.
In his first speech to the Legislative Yuan, the newly appointed Premier said, "I am a political worker who advocates Taiwan independence" but that "We are already an independent sovereign nation called the Republic of China. We don't need a separate declaration of independence."
KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih (65) is a noncontroversial former head of the National Police Agency (2006-08) and mayor (2015-) and Vice Mayor (2010-15) of New Taipei City (the municipality of four million residents surrounding Taipei [population: 2.5 mn]). He has a doctorate in criminology. Hou has avoided commenting on independence, preferring to ask for unity in the face of “fierce and dangerous international circumstances.”