TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) representatives will meet with their Kuomintang (KMT) counterparts on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 14) to discuss a possible joint presidential run.

Ko said on Facebook Thursday evening that he will communicate with the “greatest flexibility,” adding, “We hope the results of the discussion will be acceptable to supporters of all parties.” Ko’s campaign manager said that negotiations on a TPP-KMT alliance would be complete by the end of the month, per CNA.

Speculation regarding possible TPP-KMT collaboration has been brewing for many months after Ko consistently polled ahead of the KMT’s Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) in most public opinion surveys. Recent polling showed there is a chance a Ko-Hou pairing could defeat current presidential front-runner Lai Ching-te (賴清德). 

Ko has said that if any collaboration agreement between the parties is reached, the presidential candidate running mate pairing should be decided by a poll. He also said he would like to publicly debate Hou before any poll is held.

Speaking in a TV interview on Thursday, Hou said this idea will be part of the discussions. Hou said he has high hopes for the negotiations and that there are no factions among the opposition.

There is only the “Republic of China, elimination of Taiwan independence and cross-strait faction,” Hou said. Both Hou and Ko's teams said that both parties must tolerate each other for the good of the country.