KMT, TPP to Team Up for Mayoral Elections? 高市長選舉傳藍禮讓柯 換北市支持蔣萬安

According to reports, Taiwan People's Party Chair Ko Wen-je and Kuomintang Chairperson Eric Chu may collaborate in the Kaohsiung and Taipei elections. The KMT will back the TPP's Kaohsiung City mayoral candidate in exchange for the TPP's support of Chiang Wan-an in the Taipei City mayoral election.

According to reports, Taiwan People's Party Chair and Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je intends to run in the 2024 presidential election. He will hold a spring banquet at the end of March with diplomats in attendance where he is expected to announce his foreign affairs and cross-strait policy blueprints.

Tsai Ping-kun, Deputy Mayor, Taipei City: “We continue to conduct many cultural exchanges with the embassies of countries in Taiwan. There is actually a lot of related interaction. It doesn't appear that the chances are high for a visit (by Ko Wen-je) to the US this year.”

The US government is also keeping an eye on potential presidential candidates. Kuomintang Chair Eric Chu is planning a visit in May to the US, where he is expected to call on important public figures and deliver a speech. Both Ko and Chu are actively making preparations. There is the possibility of cooperation between the two parties. According to reports, the KMT will back the TPP's Kaohsiung City mayoral candidate in exchange for the TPP's support of Chiang Wan-an in the Taipei City mayoral election.

Eric Chu, Chairperson, Kuomintang: “Everyone respects each other. Nothing will be announced through the media. (So there are no comity or exchanges.) Nothing will be announced through the media.”

Chiang Wan-an, Legislator (KMT): “I'm looking at it from the perspective of the people, and I hope to see unity between everyone and political parties placing the interests of the people above their own.”

When asked when he will formally declare his candidacy for Taipei City mayor, KMT Legislator Chiang Wan-an said the party's Taipei headquarters is prioritizing city councilor nominations and there will be a timetable after a certain period of time passes. Reports estimate that it will be in May.

民眾黨主席、台北市長柯文哲有意挑戰2024總統大位，傳出已積極在部署，可望在月底舉辦國際新春酒，邀請駐外使節參加並發布外交及兩岸政策藍圖。

台北市副市長蔡炳坤說：「各國在台灣的大使館，這個部分，事實上我們是持續做很多的文化交流，很多的相關的互動是滿多的，（柯文哲）實際的訪美，大概今年度看起來可能性不高。」

美國政府也關注2024大選可能人選，國民黨主席朱立倫，持續規畫訪美行程，預計將會在5月出發，可望拜訪美國重要人士及發表演說，柯文哲跟朱立倫都在積極準備，近來藍白合更是受到關注，傳出國民黨在高雄市長選舉將禮讓柯文哲，換取北市支持蔣萬安。

國民黨主席朱立倫表示：「大家彼此尊重，不透過任何媒體的放話，（所以沒有禮讓或交換），不透過媒體的放話。」

國民黨立委蔣萬安表示：「我想站在民眾的角度，希望看到的是全民合，而希望看到的是政黨的利益，不要凌駕在人民的利益之上。」

至於何時正式表態參選，蔣萬安表示台北市黨部評估，規劃議員提名優先，告一個段落就會有期程，外界預估應該落在5月。