The United Daily News said in a headline that 20,000 people turned out for a rally by Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, the KMT incumbent seeking re-election. The local elections are on Nov. 28, about three weeks away, but the crowd figure comes from a headline and has not been independently verified.
According to the headline of the United Daily News report on Nov. 7, Chiang appeared together with Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en, and 20,000 people turned up. Ko jabbed at the rival camp that the ‘Presidential Office, the Cabinet and the party have all arrived’. The phrase points to the presidency, the Executive Yuan and the DPP at once and appears aimed at DPP figures backing the opponent, but its exact context could not be confirmed.
광고 문의 · 300×250The same headline notes that the entrance procession took eight minutes to walk 100 meters. This paper has seen only headlines and summaries, so the venue, the speaker list and specific remarks are unconfirmed. What follows is only the verifiable background.
A North-South joint campaign
The two had already appeared together in Kaohsiung's Fengshan on Sept. 19. NOWnews and World Journal reported that Chiang attended Ko's first large rally, where organizers claimed more than 30,000 people. Former Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng and New Taipei mayoral candidate Li Szu-chuan were also there; the numbers are not independently verified.
Mirror Media reported that on Nov. 3 the two walked through Taipei's Ningxia Night Market. A supporter of the DPP's Puma Shen handed out flyers and some passersby shouted at him. Shen said at the Legislative Yuan on Nov. 4 that if the other side wants to canvass, let them.
Noise around the campaigns
The United Daily News also reported the unveiling of the Chiang camp's ‘Peace of Mind Parade’ poster. The designer's identity was not disclosed, and the campaign said it feared being labeled. The poster's content could not be confirmed.
Author Liao Yu-hui questioned whether garbage trucks were canvassing for Chiang, and the Taipei environmental protection chief replied that she ‘surely misheard’. It is a spat over the political neutrality of public officials, and neither side's claim has been verified. Similar exchanges are likely to continue until election day.