Formosa Alliance

Formosa Alliance
喜樂島聯盟
ChairmanLo Jen-kuei
Secretary-GeneralKuo Pei-hung
Vice chairmanShih Cheng-feng
Founded7 April 2018; 6 years ago (2018-04-07)
HeadquartersTaipei, Taiwan
IdeologyPopulism
Taiwan independence
Taiwanese nationalism
Taiwanization
Colours  Teal
Legislative Yuan
0 / 113
Municipal Mayoralties
0 / 6
City Mayoralties and County Magistracies
0 / 16
Local Councillors
0 / 912
Township Chiefs
0 / 204
Website
www.formosaparty.org

The Formosa Alliance (Chinese: 喜樂島聯盟; pinyin: Xǐlè Dǎo Liánméng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hí-lo̍k-tó Liân-bêng) is a political coalition founded in Taiwan on 7 April 2018. The organization reformed as a political party on 20 July 2019.

Goals

[edit]

The Formosa Alliance was established on 7 April 2018. Its founding leader was Kuo Pei-hung [zh], at the time also chairman of Formosa Television.[1] Other members included Chen Shui-bian, Huang Kuo-chang, Lee Teng-hui, Yu Shyi-kun, and the Taiwan Solidarity Union, as well as several overseas Taiwanese organizations.[2][3] The organization intended to hold a referendum on independence on 6 April 2019, though this did not occur. Other goals included advocating a change in the island's name from the Republic of China to Taiwan, and to apply for membership in the United Nations.[4][5][6] The alliance's first full meeting was held on 16 June 2018.[7]

In April 2019, the Formosa Alliance announced a split between it and the Democratic Progressive Party, as well as a new color scheme emphasizing turquoise, a representation of the land of Taiwan and the ocean.[8] The alliance rebranded as a political party, and expanded its platform. Alongside support for the independence referendum and admittance to the United Nations, the Formosa Alliance sought to draft a new constitution, introduce a new national anthem, adopt a new flag, and normalize diplomatic relations with other nations.[9] Compared with the Democratic Progressive Party, from which it split, the Formosa Alliance is more socially conservative.[10] On 20 July 2019, the Formosa Alliance was reconstituted as a political party, with Presbyterian Church in Taiwan minister Lo Jen-kuei [zh] as its first chairman.[11] Lo named Shih Cheng-feng [zh] as the party's deputy chairman.[12] Party officials stated that it would not nominate a candidate to contest the 2020 Taiwan presidential election, but that it would field ten candidates in the concurrent 2020 Taiwan legislative election.[12]

On 10 September 2019, Formosa Alliance executive committee member Ou Chong-jing stated that he would obtain registration forms for the 2020 presidential election from the Central Election Commission.[13] Ou told Taiwan News that the Formosa Alliance had planned to back his legislative campaign in New Taipei, but subsequently announced that a presidential candidate would be named without a primary.[14] Ou then acquired the petition required of independent presidential candidacies, without the party's support,[15] though he stated that he would wait until the deadline to register presidential bids, 17 September 2019, for the Formosa Alliance's decision.[14] On 17 September 2019, Annette Lu announced that she and Peng Pai-hsien, via petition, would form the Formosa Alliance ticket for the presidential election, though Lu remained a member of the Democratic Progressive Party.[16][17] Lu and Peng ended their campaign on 2 November 2019.[18][19]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Ihara, Kensaku (9 April 2018). "Pro-independence forces in Taiwan align to push referendum". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  2. ^ DeAeth, Duncan (7 April 2018). "Alliance of Taiwanese associations calls for 2019 independence referendum". Taiwan News. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  3. ^ Lee, Hsin-fang; Hsiao, Sherry (7 April 2018). "International groups lend support for independence". Taipei Times. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  4. ^ Chen, Wei-han (1 March 2018). "Group urges independence referendum". Taipei Times. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  5. ^ "The Formosa Alliance to hold founding ceremony tomorrow". Formosa Television. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  6. ^ Hioe, Brian (9 April 2018). "Formosa Alliance formed to push for Referendum Act changes". New Bloom Magazine. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  7. ^ Su, Mu-chun; Ko, Lin (16 June 2018). "Alliance holds first meeting, calls for independence referendum". Central News Agency. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  8. ^ Lin, Chia-nan (7 April 2019). "Formosa Alliance to break with DPP". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  9. ^ DeAeth, Duncan (7 April 2019). "Pro-Taiwan Independence group Formosa Alliance announces split from DPP". Taiwan News. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  10. ^ Aspinwall, Nick (7 September 2019). "Taiwan President Sues Scholars for Alleging Her Doctorate Degree is Fake". The Diplomat. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  11. ^ Hou, Elaine; Lee, Hsin-Yin (20 July 2019). "Pro-independence Formosa Alliance forms political party". Central News Agency. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  12. ^ a b Lin, Sean (21 July 2019). "Formosa Alliance enters political arena". Taipei Times. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  13. ^ Ko, Lai (10 September 2019). "Formosa Alliance member Ou Chong-jing wants to run for president of Taiwan". Taiwan News. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  14. ^ a b Strong, Matthew (13 September 2019). "Three contenders pick up registration forms for 2020 Taiwan presidential election". Taiwan News. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  15. ^ Shih, Hsiao-kuang; Huang, Hsin-po; Chin, Jonathan (14 September 2019). "KMT accuses Gou of reneging on promise to the party". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  16. ^ Yeh, Su-ping; Wen, Kuei-hisang; Huang, Frances (17 September 2019). "Former Vice President Annette Lu enters presidential race". Central News Agency. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  17. ^ Wu, Chun-feng; Yang, Chun-hui; Chung, Jake (18 September 2019). "Ex-vice president Lu to run for president". Taipei Times. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  18. ^ Huang, Rei-hung; Ko, Lin (2 November 2019). "Former Taiwan vice president abandons presidential bid". Central News Agency. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  19. ^ Chen, Yun (3 November 2019). "Annette Lu withdraws presidential bid". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
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