Hsinchu Blue-White alliance collapses amid legal disputes

The political alliance between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) has officially collapsed regarding the Hsinchu County and Zhubei mayoral elections. The rift intensified after Wu Tzu-chia, chairman of Formosa Monthly, filed criminal complaints against nine individuals, including TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je and Huang Kuo-chang, alleging they lied about previous agreements regarding candidate concessions.

In response to the breakdown, the TPP passed four resolutions stating that Hsinchu County elections are no longer bound by previous cooperation agreements. The TPP has also threatened to expel members who support KMT candidate Hsu Hsin-ying, instead focusing its support on its own Zhubei mayoral candidate, Chiu Chen-yuan.

The KMT has responded by prohibiting its members from campaigning for non-KMT candidates in areas where they have nominated candidates. While the KMT maintains that the cooperation in Hsinchu is not affected by these legal disputes, the TPP has expressed frustration over the lack of written evidence regarding prior negotiations and the KMT's use of party discipline.