Kuomintang (KMT) said on Monday that Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu had beaten four other contenders in the party's primary polls for the 2020 Taiwan leadership election.

KMT announced five candidates last month for the party primary of the 2020 leadership election, including Eric Chu, former mayor of New Taipei City; Chou Hsi-wei, former magistrate of Taipei County; Chang Ya-chung, president of the Sun Yat-sen School; and Terry Gou, Foxconn founder and chairman.  

Han led the seven-day phone survey of more than 15,000 people across Taiwan, winning 44.8 percent support, compared with Gou's 27.7 percent, who ranked second, KMT said.

Gou, who launched an extensive primary campaign including banners on buses and online advertisements, canceled a press conference originally scheduled for later on Monday and was not immediately available for comment.

Once the party formally approved his nomination later July, Han would pose a direct challenge to the island's current leader Tsai Ing-wen, who is seeking re-election in January 2020.

The 62-year-old gained wide popularity after winning the mayoral election in November in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, formerly a stronghold for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

"The past three years under the rule of Tsai Ing-wen have been too disappointing," Han told reporters at KMT's headquarters in Taipei after the results. "DPP supporters should open their eyes and think it over."

In March, Han visited Hong Kong and Macao, as well as Shenzhen and Xiamen on the Chinese mainland, and signed deals worth a total of over 170 million U.S. dollars.

He has shown support for the one-China policy, saying Taiwan is part of China.

(With input from agencies)