Legislator Johnny Chiang has been elected the new chair of the Kuomintang in a party by-election, becoming the youngest chair in party history. In the past, the president of China, Xi Jinping, who is also the chairperson of the Communist Party of China, always sent a personal congratulatory letter. This time, however, only a message was issued by the spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office, raising doubts on whether this is evidence of a minor change in the "Kuomintang and Communist Party of China" relations?


Lawmaker Johnny Chiang, 48, has won the KMT chair by-election, becoming the youngest chair in party history. Communist Party of China General Secretary Xi Jinping did not send a personal congratulatory letter as he has in the past. Instead, Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian issued a press release calling on Chiang to cherish and maintain KMT-CCP relations under the framework of the 1992 Consensus and a shared opposition to Taiwan independence. Is this indicative of a shift in the relationship between the two parties?

I am happy to receive congratulatory messages from anyone, but these messages have no impact on our commitment to reform.

Chiang says his win might give China a new perspective but his focus is on party-wide reforms. Accompanied by pan-blue lawmakers, Chiang visited Jenn Lann Temple on the 8th to pray for an end to the COVID-19 epidemic and unity within the pan-blue camp. New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih, who was also present, said Chiang's most important job is bettering the lives of the people.

Disease prevention is probably what's on everyone's mind right now. (Chiang) has won the election; now he will serve the people.

As for the recall motion against Kaohsiung City Mayor Han Kuo-yu, Chiang said everyone has to focus on their own responsibilities. He also said the KMT can work with the central government to rebuild public support for Han and the KMT while at the same time improving quality of life in Kaohsiung.



國民黨主席補選結果出爐，由立委江啟臣當選，更以48歲成為國民黨有史以來最年輕的黨魁，但過去都循例致電道賀的中國共產黨總書記習近平，這次卻沒有親拍賀電，而是改以國台辦發言人朱鳳蓮的名義發布新聞稿回應，呼籲江啟臣珍惜並維護國、共兩黨「堅持92共識、反對台獨」的政治基礎，也引發是否與江啟臣之前主張重擬兩岸論述有關，讓國共關係出現微妙變化。

國民黨主席當選人 江啟臣表示：「賀電這個部分，只要是外界來的，我都表示歡迎，但是不管任何的外電、賀電等等，我想都不會影響到，我們改革的腳步。」

江啟臣也表示或許他當選也是給中國方面一個新的想像，現在最重要是改革工作好好做事，8號更與藍營立委一同到大甲鎮瀾宮參香祈福，除了希望疫情快結束，也營造國民黨團結氣勢，而新北市長侯友宜對於習近平沒發出賀電表示尊重別人看法，呼籲新任主席好好為人民做事最重要。

新北市長 侯友宜表示：「我想很多的民眾念茲在茲的，還是在防疫，那當選了，就好好為人民做事，找出人民所要的方向，全力以赴。」

至於江啟臣一上任首先就要面對高雄市長韓國瑜的罷免危機，侯友宜認為每個人各司其職好好做事，江啟臣則表示願意中央地方一起合作，找回市民對韓國瑜的支持，把市政做好，也能找回大家對國民黨的信心，這將是接下來要共同合作的重點。