Taiwan Elections in 2024: Who is Running and What to Expect

Taiwan will hold a landmark presidential election on January 13, 2024. The outcome of the election will have major implications for the trajectory of peace and stability between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan for years to come.

But who exactly are the candidates vying to become the president? The front-runner, Lai Ching-te, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leads most polls, followed by Ko Wen-je of Taiwan’s People’s Party (TPP). Behind them is Hou You-yi of the Kuomintang (KMT), followed by Foxconn founder Terry Guo, who is running as an independent, trailing far behind.  

But the recent announcement of a “Blue-White” joint presidential ticket between Hou and Ko has upended the political campaign landscape. Can this new coalition form a formidable rival to Lai and DPP, or will it dissolve over in-fighting between the parties?

To help us understand the dynamics between these four candidates, join us for a discussion with Simona Grano, Senior Fellow on Taiwan, Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis as she speaks with Lyle Morris, Senior Fellow on Foreign Policy and National Security, Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, and Rorry Daniels, Managing Director, Asia Society Policy Institute, about her issue paper, The 2024 Taiwanese Elections: A Primer, and what to expect in the upcoming election in January.