The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday selected Legislator Su Chiao-hui (蘇巧慧) as its nominee to contest next year’s New Taipei City mayoral election, pending final approval by its Central Executive Committee.
Su, 49, is a daughter of former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and has represented New Taipei City’s fifth constituency since 2016.
Her selection by the DPP nominations committee lines her up to challenge the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in one of its strongholds, with New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) of the KMT preparing to step down after serving two terms.
Photo: Taipei Times
New Taipei City is Taiwan’s most populous municipality, with more than 4 million residents.
The KMT has yet to announce its nominee.
Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) has said multiple times that he intends to seek the city’s top job.
The local elections are scheduled for Nov. 28 next year.
President William Lai (賴清德), the DPP chairman, told the party’s weekly Central Standing Committee meeting yesterday, that “the best available talent” should run in the elections.
The party is preparing its rules for its primary process.
Lai reminded party members that nominees must carry the DPP banner by adhering to the founding spirit of “clean governance, diligence in public service and love for the Taiwan homeland,” DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) said.
Lai also stressed that nominees “must not tarnish the party’s good reputation” and “must not betray the trust the public has in you,” Wu said.
Nominees must not undermine fair competition and attack opponents, while also conducting themselves well during campaigning as they advocate local development and policies that promote fairness and social welfare, Wu quoted Lai as saying.
DPP committees would closely supervise the primary process to find the most suitable people to contest each election, he added.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
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