KMT Legislator Slams President Lai Over 'China Interference' Claims in Kaohsiung Election

Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Hsu Yu-chen has strongly criticized President Lai Ching-te, accusing him of fabricating a narrative of Chinese interference in the upcoming Kaohsiung mayoral election to rescue a faltering campaign. Hsu stated that Lai's claims are not about defending democracy but about manufacturing panic and exploiting national security issues.

During a rally in Kaohsiung, President Lai linked the Chinese Communist Party's "Beidaihe Conference" to Taiwan's elections. In response, Hsu Yu-chen argued that whenever the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) candidate, Lai Jui-lung, faces electoral difficulties, President Lai invokes "Chinese interference" as a rescue tactic. She asserted that this approach reveals the Lai camp's insecurity and their reliance on smearing opponents rather than focusing on substantive issues. Hsu questioned if Lai would also attribute the recent "Iron Fist Education" bullying controversy, which has negatively impacted Lai Jui-lung, to Chinese interference.

Hsu challenged President Lai to present concrete evidence of Chinese interference in the Kaohsiung election, given his access to national security agencies like the National Security Bureau and the Investigation Bureau. She pointed out the inconsistency of claiming widespread Chinese intervention while seemingly focusing solely on Kaohsiung, asking which specific districts are allegedly being targeted, which accounts are controlled, and which funding sources are problematic. Hsu demanded that the government provide clear explanations based on evidence rather than making unsubstantiated claims that cause national anxiety.

The KMT legislator emphasized that the real reason the DPP is worried is the competence and growing support for KMT candidate Ko Chih-en. Hsu believes that President Lai's increasingly desperate attempts to label the opposition as influenced by China demonstrate that the DPP cannot win this election easily. She concluded by urging President Lai to cease using national security apparatus for electoral purposes and to return the election to the people, stating that Kaohsiung citizens desire a capable leader like Ko Chih-en, not a candidate reliant on presidential backing and smear tactics.