Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday officially announced his candidacy for next year’s New Taipei City mayoral election, with former party chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) attending the event to show his support.
“New Taipei City is not a satellite city of Taipei. I want to make New Taipei City shine,” Huang said.
Noting the residents of New Taipei City have given the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) 16 years to lead the city, Huang expressed the hope that the voters would give him four years and pledged he would do his best and give it his all.
Photo: CNA
The TPP’s mission is to fulfill its promises to the public, and it always does what it promises, he said.
Huang added that he admired the executive power that Ko demonstrated as the mayor of Taipei.
Ko yesterday acknowledged Huang’s courage in taking responsibility, adding that when he was detained and the party was at its lowest point, Huang was willing to step up and take charge.
“Without him, the TPP would probably have already collapsed,” Ko said, referring to his detention since Sept. 5 last year.
Ko was released in September after posting NT$70 million (US$2.2 million) bail, bringing an end to his year-long incommunicado detention.
Ko was indicted in December last year on four charges, including allegedly accepting NT$17.1 million in bribes relating to the Core Pacific City development project while serving as Taipei mayor, and embezzling political donations during his presidential campaign last year.
Additional reporting by CNA
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