Democratic Progressive Party candidate Puma Shen has unveiled a virtual ‘policy island’ of 14 themes and 94 policies, while Kuomintang Mayor Chiang Wan-an prepares to open his campaign headquarters. Meanwhile, Chiang's moving of branches at a Typhoon Champi cleanup site has become a ‘photo-op’ dispute.
The Taipei Times reported on Sunday that Shen's campaign launched an online ‘HEART Policy Island’ platform on his official website on Thursday. It presents 14 policy themes and 94 policy items as an interactive virtual island. Campaign manager Rosalia Wu, a Democratic Progressive Party legislator, said the team is entering a comprehensive review phase to consolidate policies and tailor outreach to each district.
광고 문의 · 300×250Since August the team has rolled out proposals on transportation, education and youth issues, and it is handing out its newsletter, the Soon Daily, at MRT stations. Wu said the strategy is ‘citizens first, municipal affairs first,’ and that the team drew on the policy visions of earlier Taipei mayors.
Chiang's headquarters opening and a ‘Get Things Done Alliance’
The report describes Chiang's campaign headquarters opening as set for 2pm ‘tomorrow,’ which appears to mean Sunday afternoon, though that has not been confirmed. Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen and New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi are among those invited, and Taoyuan Mayor Simon Chang, New Taipei candidate Lee Shu-chuan, Keelung Mayor George Hsieh, Yilan candidate Wu Tsung-hsien and Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao, listed as an independent, will form the alliance. Three mystery guests are expected, with attention on whether Taiwan People's Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang and KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun will attend.
Chiang's team pointed to the Taipei Dome, efforts to bring Nvidia's Taiwan headquarters to the Beitou-Shilin Technology Park and simultaneous work on six MRT lines as four-year achievements, and cited proposals on relocating Songshan airport, an AI park and urban renewal. It said it would not back down from what it called Democratic Progressive Party political attacks in the media and on social media.
The branch-moving row at the typhoon site
The campaign has spilled into disaster response. According to ETtoday, Chiang inspected recovery on Section 2 of Jianguo North Road in Zhongshan District on Saturday morning and helped pick up branches. After video spread, some called it a photo-op, while Chiang described it as ‘experiencing’ the work. City councilors Liu Tsai-wei and Chan Wei-yuan, who appear from context to be KMT members, said the crew leader asked whether the mayor would join and that it was mutual help at the grassroots, then asked whether Shen would refuse such an invitation.
The United Daily News reported that Zhongshan District cleaning squad leader Wang Kai-wu left an apology on Chiang's Facebook page, saying he had put the mayor in an awkward position. Chiang replied, ‘Please don't blame yourself, you did nothing wrong,’ and said he wants to be the ‘strongest backing’ for frontline staff. The report said Taipei received more than 2,800 disaster reports that day.
The critics' arguments, however, were relayed only by KMT councilors, and a direct response from Shen's campaign has not been confirmed. The KMT-side claim that the DPP criticized the city government for ‘reckless tree cutting’ is likewise one-sided. Whether voters will judge the two candidates on policy or on disaster response remains to be seen before election day.
