Unfortunately, Cheng was the more pro-Beijing of the major candidates: she openly identifies as Chinese (increasingly the exception among Taiwanese people, especially the youth) and says she wants Taiwanese people to embrace a Chinese identity, says that Taiwan and the mainland should “join forces”, and opposes increasing the defense budget.
Ironically, this may hurt the KMT’s chances in the next presidential election. The ruling DPP is struggling with the public’s fatigue with their administration (they’ve been in power for a decade now) as well as economic problems. However, the open fawning over China by key parts of the KMT leadership (including, now, its actual leader) has been a difficult burden for the KMT to overcome politically.
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Unfortunately, Cheng was the more pro-Beijing of the major candidates: she openly identifies as Chinese (increasingly the exception among Taiwanese people, especially the youth) and says she wants Taiwanese people to embrace a Chinese identity, says that Taiwan and the mainland should “join forces”, and opposes increasing the defense budget.
Ironically, this may hurt the KMT’s chances in the next presidential election. The ruling DPP is struggling with the public’s fatigue with their administration (they’ve been in power for a decade now) as well as economic problems. However, the open fawning over China by key parts of the KMT leadership (including, now, its actual leader) has been a difficult burden for the KMT to overcome politically.