More than 1,000 academics signed a statement published yesterday as a half-page ad in the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) endorsing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) for Taipei mayor.
The statement was initiated by Buddhist Tzu Chi University founding president Lee Ming-liang (李明亮) and Academia Sinica academician Liao Yun-fan (廖運範), along with 14 other Academia Sinica academicians and 21 former university presidents.
They gathered signatures from 1,028 academics, including about 300 from schools or institutions in Taipei and about 190 from schools in nine other countries.
Photo: CNA
The ad said that Chen’s administrative experience, personality and policy vision made him the most qualified among the Taipei mayoral candidates.
The statement said the city needs an administration that is willing to cooperate with the central government amid increasing threats from China.
About 300 academics yesterday morning attended an event in Taipei in support of Chen, which was also attended by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
Liao said it is unprecedented for more than 1,000 academics to sign a statement in support of a local candidate within 10 days of circulating the petition.
Over the past three years, no member of Chen’s team from when the former minister of health and welfare headed the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) has left, which demonstrates the quality of Chen’s leadership, Liao said.
Tsai said that Chen’s background in medicine shows that he is capable of planning and executing policy initiatives, and could work with the central government to enhance civil defense and national security.
She invited supporters to join a parade focused on families in support of Chen and improving Taipei at 1:30pm today.
Separately yesterday, the Central Election Commission released a document showing that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei mayoral candidate Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) resigned as a legislator on Nov. 10.
The commission released the document after DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) on Tuesday questioned why Chiang had not submitted his resignation after announcing he would step down to focus on his campaign.
The legislature received his letter of resignation on Wednesday.
Chiang yesterday said that independent Taipei mayoral candidate and former Taipei deputy mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) should respond to allegations that she contravened administrative neutrality in asking city employees to attend a campaign event.
Chiang was campaigning near Yongle Market (永樂市場) when he was asked about remarks by Taoyuan city councilor candidate Lin chia-wei (林佳瑋) that the Taipei City Government had allegedly asked firefighters who were on leave to attend an election campaign event for the independent mayoral candidate.
Huang yesterday said that if Lin has evidence that firefighters were asked to attend the event, she should turn it over to the Control Yuan for investigation.
Huang’s campaign is to host a large event at a parking lot near the MRT Nanjing Sanmin Station tonight.
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