People First Party Chairman James Soong announced on Wednesday that he will run for president. Soong described this run as the “endgame”. This is the veteran politician’s fourth run for president. He also ran in 2000, 2012, and 2016.
Soong said he began thinking of running after Foxconn founder Terry Gou dropped out of the race on September 17. He said that if Gou hadn’t left the race, he would have decided against running himself. Soong also announced Yu Hsiang, the former president of the advertising firm United Communication Group, as his running mate.
Soong said he hopes that the people of Taiwan can be free from what he called the “emotional blackmail” of the two main political camps. He said that if elected, he will push for a constitutional reform that will move Taiwan from its semi-presidential system to a parliamentary system.
Taiwan’s presidential election is scheduled for January 11 next year.