Legislator Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday won the Taipei mayoral election, with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate defeating the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) pick, former minister of health and welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), and former Taipei deputy mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊), an independent.
After polling stations closed at 4pm, the Taipei Election Commission issued a preliminary estimate that voter turnout in the city was about 64 percent, slightly lower than in 2018.
Chiang, 43, is to be the youngest Taipei mayor ever, with the KMT regaining the capital after eight years.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Chen had an exceptionally high national approval rating when he was head of the Central Epidemic Command Center during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he failed to counter critics throughout his campaign involving local COVID-19 outbreaks and vaccine issues.
At about 7pm, Chen conceded defeat to Chiang and apologized to his supporters for disappointing them, repeatedly thanking them for their backing.
Photo: Liu Hsin-te, Taipei Times
“Whenever I see everyone looking at me with eyes full of expectation, how I wish I could realize our collective dreams and set this city on a new path toward change, but Taipei residents have chosen another future mayor, so I hope everyone can join me in sincerely congratulating Chiang Wan-an,” he said.
He said he had called Chiang to congratulate him and hopes everyone can come together, irrespective of their political preferences, to support Chiang in doing a good job of governing Taipei.
Chen said he hoped criticism of Taiwan’s COVID-19 prevention efforts would stop after the elections, as the city and the nation must move forward.
Photo: CNA
He also urged his supporters to continue supporting President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to maintain a steady pace in the face of post-pandemic economic challenges.
At about 7:20pm, Huang also conceded defeat and thanked her supporters for “fighting a good fight” with her.
Although the result was below expectations, she would continue to focus on people and push political parties to the side, dedicating her life to her hometown, Taipei, she said.
Photo: CNA
She also urged Chiang to keep his word and accomplish his campaign promises, enabling Taipei to progress further.
At about 8pm, Chiang declared victory, saying that it was not his victory, but rather Taipei residents voting to ensure that honesty defeated lies, democracy defeated black-box operations and light defeated darkness.
He said he highly respects Huang and Chen, and thanked them for pointing out policy directions during campaigning.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
They set a good example regarding democracy, allowing the election to proceed smoothly, Chiang said.
He said he was thankful to his supporters for trusting him and placing Taipei’s future in his hands, but he was also thankful to those who did not vote for him, as they would monitor him, so his team would be humble and try their hardest over the next four years.
In the 2018 local elections, Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) won a narrow victory by 3,567 votes to become mayor, defeating former legislator Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) of the KMT.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
The final result was announced after 2am the next morning.
With a voter turnout of 65.95 percent that year, Ko, who served two terms, received 580,663 votes, or 41.07 percent, while Ting garnered 577,096 votes, or 41.07 percent.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
RSS