The race for Taichung mayor is shaping up to be a tough contest between three formidable candidates, each boasting a strong national profile.
But while the contest is a local election, political watchers say the race's outcome is of national importance.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
The city could be the proving ground for the major political parties in the 2004 presidential race. Taichung has become one of the best spots for gauging the true strengths of the four political parties, analysts say.
The strongest candidate to emerge thus far is Jason Hu (
Among the three candidates, Jason Hu presently enjoys the highest approval rating, according to opinion polls.
In addition, his personal charisma makes him popular and his resume boasts experience representing Taiwan in the international arena.
But the seasoned KMT politician does have his obstacles to overcome. Hu thus far hasn't been able to obtain the support of local faction leaders.
Representing the DPP is Legislator Michael Tsai (
Tsai, a member of the New Tide Faction, has also won high approval ratings with his promises to crack down on "black gold" politics.
The lawmaker's membership in the New Tide Faction is also a plus, as the faction enjoys the most influence within the DPP and was a key factor in helping him with his party's nomination.
But while he won the primary battle against Chang, he has yet to win the war.
Chang has decided to run for re-election as an independent, and entry into the race could result in a split vote among DPP voters.
Chang -- a founding member of the DPP -- is preparing to leave the party, making her bid formal.
She also has the support of her father-in-law Chen Tuan-tang (
Still, the advantages of incumbency may be a drawback for Chang. Her family's deep involvement in the city's public affairs has its critics, and may former supporters say it's time for fresh blood.
Although the People First Party has yet to nominate a candidate, the party may announce an entrant later in the race.
In northern Taiwan, starting with Taichung City, then-independent candidate James Soong (
To prevent the KMT and DPP from undermining Soong's strong foothold in Taichung, the party is weighing its chances in the city.
Should the PFP not join the fray, a key factor in deciding the winner could depend on which candidate PFP voters choose to support.
Another factor is the so-called "dump save effect," in which a weak candidate late in the contest gives his support to a stronger candidate, helping him to win the race.
The Contenders:
For the KMT - Jason Hu (胡志強)
1991~1996: Director General of Government Information Office of the Executive Yuan.
1996: Elected to the National Assembly.
1996: Representative of Taiwan to the US.
1997: Minister of Foreign Affair.
For the DPP - Michael Tasi (蔡明憲)
1991: Deputy of the National Assembly
1995 to present: Lawmaker, continually advocated removing gangsters from the Legislative Yuan, criticism primarily aimed at independent lawmaker Lo Fu-chu (羅福助).
Recognized as an expert on national defense matters.
Independent - Chang Wen-ying (張溫鷹)
1979: A former dentist once jailed for performing cosmetic surgery on famous dissident Shih Ming-teh (施明德), then a fugitive due to his part in the Kaohsiung Incident.
1981: Discharged from prison, she resumed her career in dentistry.
1987: Elected National Assembly deputy.
1990: Married and was elected to Taiwan Provincial Assembly.
1998: Elected Taichung City mayor.
WAITING GAME: The US has so far only offered a ‘best rate tariff,’ which officials assume is about 15 percent, the same as Japan, a person familiar with the matter said Taiwan and the US have completed “technical consultations” regarding tariffs and a finalized rate is expected to be released soon, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference yesterday, as a 90-day pause on US President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs is set to expire today. The two countries have reached a “certain degree of consensus” on issues such as tariffs, nontariff trade barriers, trade facilitation, supply chain resilience and economic security, Lee said. They also discussed opportunities for cooperation, investment and procurement, she said. A joint statement is still being negotiated and would be released once the US government has made
NEW GEAR: On top of the new Tien Kung IV air defense missiles, the military is expected to place orders for a new combat vehicle next year for delivery in 2028 Mass production of Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV) missiles is expected to start next year, with plans to order 122 pods, the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) latest list of regulated military material showed. The document said that the armed forces would obtain 46 pods of the air defense missiles next year and 76 pods the year after that. The Tien Kung IV is designed to intercept cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to an altitude of 70km, compared with the 60km maximum altitude achieved by the Missile Segment Enhancement variant of PAC-3 systems. A defense source said yesterday that the number of
‘CRUDE’: The potential countermeasure is in response to South Africa renaming Taiwan’s representative offices and the insistence that it move out of Pretoria Taiwan is considering banning exports of semiconductors to South Africa after the latter unilaterally downgraded and changed the names of Taiwan’s two representative offices, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday. On Monday last week, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation unilaterally released a statement saying that, as of April 1, the Taipei Liaison Offices in Pretoria and Cape Town had been renamed the “Taipei Commercial Office in Johannesburg” and the “Taipei Commercial Office in Cape Town.” Citing UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, it said that South Africa “recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the sole
Taiwanese exports to the US are to be subject to a 20 percent tariff starting on Thursday next week, according to an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump yesterday. The 20 percent levy was the same as the tariffs imposed on Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by Trump. It was higher than the tariffs imposed on Japan, South Korea and the EU (15 percent), as well as those on the Philippines (19 percent). A Taiwan official with knowledge of the matter said it is a "phased" tariff rate, and negotiations would continue. "Once negotiations conclude, Taiwan will obtain a better
RSS