Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) says his cross-strait policy will be based on the 3Ds of deterrence, dialogue, and de-escalation. Hou laid out his strategy during a speech at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, D.C. on Monday. He expanded on his strategy in a closed-door meeting with experts on US-Taiwan-China relations which included former AIT Director Richard C. Bush, German Marshall Fund’s Bonnie Glaser, and John L. Thornton China Center Director Ryan Hass.
In a Foreign Affairs article published Monday, Hou says he will be an accountable member of the Indo-Pacific region. Hou says he wants to have productive interactions with Beijing that are in line with the constitution of the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official country name. He adds that interactions will be based on the 1992 Consensus. Hou says he will safeguard peace by building a strong military and increasing cooperation with Taiwan’s partners and allies.