Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) was sworn in yesterday to become the first mayor of Greater Taichung, which became a special municipality, and he pledged to assume his new responsibility with caution and care.
“There’s no free ‘upgrade’ and there are no free ‘governmental posts,’ we need to take up this brand-new challenge with brand-new concepts and determination,” Hu, of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), said during the swearing-in ceremony.
Minister without Portfolio Yiin Chii-ming (尹啟銘) presided over the ceremony and handed the official seal to Hu, who has served as mayor of Taichung City for the past nine years.
Greater Taichung was formed by the merger of Taichung City and neighboring Taichung County.
MORE THAN TWO COLORS
Hu said in this speech that there were other colors in life besides blue and green — the two colors that represent the KMT and the Democratic Progressive Party with their respective allies — as he stressed the importance of white and black, which he said represent right and wrong.
“We ought to stop differentiating one another by blue or green, we should put forth our best foot for the interests and the city’s progress,” he said.
“Some say it is impossible for Taiwan to achieve the goal to have black and white trump blue and green, but we must set high expectations for ourselves that we can do it. Yes, we can!” Hu added.
FLAG RAISING
Hu concluded his inaugural speech by inviting the public to join him in 2012 for a flag-raising ceremony at Lishan (梨山) on New Year’s Day and greet the sunrise on the first day of the new year.
Greater Taichung will hold its flag-raising ceremony next year at its new city hall.
COUNTY CLOSES
On Friday at 5pm, Taichung County Government staff and residents gathered at County Hall to observe the county flag being lowered for the last time. They sang the county anthem, some in tears.
“I have served in the county government for 30 years, from a teenager to a middle-aged woman,” a caretaker surnamed Lin (林) said.
A Taichung County resident surnamed Wang (王) traveled from Dali (大里) to take part in the flag-lowering ceremony.
“I have never attended a flag-hoisting ceremony, so I thought I should be here for the last flag-lowering ritual,” she said.
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