Taiwan’s opposition parties to work together for January election

Kuomintang candidate Hou Yu-ih (left) and Ko Wen-je, of the Taiwan People's Party (right), announce they will work together ahead of the January 13 presidential election [Ann Wang/Reuters]

Two of Taiwan’s rival opposition parties have announced they will collaborate on a joint ticket in the upcoming presidential election, in what could be a major political upset for the East Asian democracy.

The deal will bring together the Kuomintang (KMT), one of Taiwan’s two major political parties, and the independent Taiwan People’s Party in their bid to take the presidency and legislature in the national vote planned for January 13.