TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Three-way talks on devising a joint ticket broke down on Thursday (Nov. 23) on bad terms leaving Taiwan People's Party (TPP) candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and the Kuomintang's (KMT) Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) to register separately with yet-to-be-announced running mates on Friday morning (Nov. 24).
Independent candidate Terry Gou (郭台銘), KMT Chair Eric Chu (朱立倫), and former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) joined Ko and Hou for a meeting at the Grand Hyatt Taipei meant to iron out the differences between the TPP and KMT, but from the start, there was a dispute over whether to hold a three-person meeting on the 25th floor or to discuss it openly in front of the media, per CNA. The argument persisted, and later, issues such as the location and the impact of opinion polls led to a deadlock.
The parties eventually ended the meeting on reportedly bad terms. Gou said that he initially thought it would be a prolonged late-night discussion, but unfortunately, it turned into a "silent ending," referring to the song by Anna Lin (林淑容) and Daniel Lo (羅時豐).
Ko's campaign office issued a press notice in the evening, saying he would go to the Central Election Commission to register with the TPP vice presidential candidate at 11 a.m. on Friday. However, the notice did not mention his vice presidential running mate.
The KMT also issued a notice that it will hold a session of its Central Committee at 11 a.m. Friday, when it is expected to announce Hou's running mate. At 10:47 p.m., Hou's campaign office also announced Friday's schedule and indicated that he will register as a candidate for president along with his running mate at the Central Election Commission at 11:45 a.m.
Gou has yet to announce when he will formally register for his candidacy on Friday.