TT: The DPP has governed Taichung for the past three years. What problems still need fixing?
Tsai: I have to say that Mayor Chang has worked very hard indeed. So if I am elected, I will continue some of her good policies and improve those that are not.
According to the general public and opinion polls, the biggest concerns are law and order, traffic and the mayor's family members interfering in city affairs.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
TT: What are your plans for the city?
Tsai: Overall the six cities and counties in central Taiwan receive only about 25 percent of the central government's budget, which reflects the government's mentality of "tilting toward the north, ignoring the south and forgetting Taichung."
But now I believe that President Chen must make good on his campaign promises, including the three "thirds" in central Taiwan: the third science-based industrial park, the third international airport and the third special municipality status for Taichung City.
If Liao Yung-lai gets re-elected in Taichung County and Wong Chin-chu elected as Changhwa County commissioner, then it will be no problem for three of us -- the New Tide Faction -- to discuss the possibility of merging the three government entities, and we can submit our bid to President Chen together.
The rapid transit system is a case in point. I can start the planning right after taking office, connecting the three entities, even including Nantou County.
TT: What impact will Mayor Chang's running for re-election have on your campaign?
Tsai: Now is a time for party politics, which leaves little room for independent candidates. That's why Chang ranks third in opinion polls.
I think 4 percent to 5 percent of her votes will come from DPP supporters. From the roughly 140,000 votes that make up the DPP's traditional voter base, Chang may siphon off 16,000 to 20,000 votes.
There will be about 420,000 eligible voters this year, and if there are three candidates, it will take around 180,000 votes to get elected.
So I still need to get another 60,000 votes. I hope to get those votes from grassroots KMT supporters and to vie for the votes of neutral voters, including PFP and New Party supporters.
TT: What do you think the PFP's next move will be?
Tsai: The PFP is thinking about the presidential election in two and a half years.
If they don't nominate their own candidate, it could hurt Soong's campaign [in 2004]. On the other hand, Soong would also be badly hurt if their candidate does not get many votes.
The PFP does not want to lend full support to the KMT's Jason Hu because Hu criticized Soong during the presidential election.
TT: What do you think is the key to winning the mayoral election?
Tsai: I think the overall financial and economic environment will be decisive. It would be an easier race if the TAIEX would go up and stay above 6,000 points, and the volume of import and exports increased and economic indicators improved.
But now the central government is in such a state that we need to clean up their mess for them. I hope that President Chen and Premier Chang will do a better job.
Personally, I think if the PFP nominates their own candidate, then Jason Hu would lose with the second largest number of votes.
As for Chang Wen-ying's participation, I think both Hu and I will be affected. Hu may speak more eloquently than I do, but my policies are better than his.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique