Taiwan’s main opposition parties launched rival bids for the presidency after the dramatic implosion of a potential alliance that aimed to unseat the ruling party and install a China-friendly government.
The Kuomintang’s Hou Yu-ih named TV presenter Jaw Shaw-kong as his vice presidential running mate Friday morning, and filed formal papers to run in the Jan. 13 election. The Taiwan People’s Party’s Ko Wen-je also filed, selecting lawmaker Wu Hsin-ying as his running mate.
Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of Foxconn Technology Group, withdrew from the race, ending — for now — his yearslong pursuit of Taiwan’s most-powerful job. His pitch to act as a key intermediary between Washington and Beijing failed to excite voters.