In the latest issue of the @globaltaiwan brief, I wrote about #Taiwan’s opposition party @kuomintang’s attempt to launch a series of fundamental reform, including its four proposals to revamp the party’s cross-Strait policies. http://globaltaiwan.org/2020/07/vol-5-issue-13/

However, the proposals faced strong pushback from the party’s veterans, most notably former President Ma Ying-Joeu who recently called on the current #Taiwan government to recognize the “1992 Consensus.”

“Two former chairpersons of the KMT asked the current party Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) to listen to opinions from all sides and publicly address the criticisms made by members in the party.”

While several members of the party’s youth task force came out to support current chairperson @JohnnyChiang12’s position on reforming KMT’s cross-Strait rhetoric and stance, Chiang admitted that there remains deep generational gap within the party.

Here are the reasons why I think the current stalemate facing the KMT is creating an existential crisis for the party: “The new proposals are coming at a time when the KMT is frantically trying to boost its morale and support among Taiwanese voters.”

The new proposals come after the party suffered a resounding defeat in the recall election against former Kaohsiung mayor @hankuoyutw, as well as a series of recent defeats in elections.

“ At a time when the party is struggling to deal with its deep generational divide as well as the power struggle between different factions within the party, it seems like Chiang is having a hard time trying to get all sides within the party on the same page.”

As more Taiwanese people's political identity shift more towards "Taiwanese" and the fact that the @DPPonline firmly occupies that position politically, the KMT is left with the choice of positioning themselves as "safeguarding the sovereignty of ROC."

"With the situation in #HK continuing to deteriorate, the awareness and sentiment of safeguarding Taiwan’s sovereignty has become stronger than ever.

Beijing’s ruthless encroachment of #HK’s high degree of autonomy and democratic way of life is a reminder of the risks that would come if Taiwan chooses to build closer ties with Beijing."

"Under such circumstances, @JohnnyChiang12 and his reform faction are faced with the tough task of distancing the KMT from the traditional pro-China cross-Strait stance...

... while finding ways to convince Taiwanese voters that the party is also committed to safeguarding democracy, freedom, and Taiwan’s sovereignty in its traditional sense."

"But with political veterans in the party retaining a certain level of influence, Chiang will have to strike a difficult balance between their demands of not throwing away KMT’s essence while sticking to his reform agenda."

"As a result, Chiang and his faction are now caught in the middle of two opposing forces, and the KMT remains in search of a new identity that can remain connected to the evolution of Taiwanese voters’ political identity."

"Chiang will likely need to display more authority if he wants to break away from the historical baggage of the KMT and successfully launch a fundamental reform.

Yet, as the party falls to another unprecedented low point in terms of its morale, popularity, and public image, it will be extremely difficult for the new chairman to gather enough support to make that decisive first step."

"The key question is whether he can win the trust and support from political veterans in the KMT and convince them that a fundamental reform is what the party needs in order to resurrect the party."