A Taipei Times headline, carried by the Liberty Times, says Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an and challenger Shen Po-yang will hold their first TV debate on October 31. When the Central News Agency reported on October 12, no date was fixed and the camps differed on how many debates to hold.
In its October 16 edition, carried by the Liberty Times, the Taipei Times said in its headline that Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and Democratic Progressive Party candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋) will hold their first TV debate on October 31. We could not confirm the body of that article, so the details below rely on the Central News Agency's October 12 account of the negotiations.
광고 문의 · 300×250According to the Central News Agency, TVBS and SET met both campaigns on October 12 to prepare a debate, and both sides agreed to include a cross-examination segment. The date of the first debate had not been set at that point.
Where the two camps stood
Chiang's team proposed October 31 for the first debate, said it had rearranged the mayor's schedule and urged Shen's team to confirm quickly. Spokesperson Luo Chih-chiang said the first debate should be settled before others are discussed, and campaign director Yeh Hsiang-yuan said confirming it would not block later talks. Chiang has said that, per custom, there would be one debate, though his office later said he would join a joint debate invited by several outlets.
Shen's team said it backs debates and wants them as soon as possible; spokesperson Tsai Yi-kai said a Saturday is not required, suggested next week or October 24, and said October 31 needed internal discussion. Chiang's camp countered that Shen had said debates carried no conditions yet was now asking to fix the total number first.
The joint invitation and outlook
The Central News Agency reported that the Liberty Times and several other outlets issued a separate joint invitation, which Shen has signed to accept; Chiang's side also said it is willing to take part.
October 31 appears to have been settled after the October 12 talks, but we have not confirmed the final format, broadcasters or the number of further debates. With the election about 45 days away, the first face-to-face encounter is expected to be a stage for policy exchanges; we will report details as they are confirmed.