Campaigns heat up for Taiwan nationwide elections

2014-09-30

Campaigning for Taiwan’s largest ever nationwide local-level elections is underway as the two main political parties, the ruling Kuomintang and opposition Democratic Progressive Party, up electioneering efforts.

President Ma Ying-jeou attended the inauguration of a canvassing team Sept. 28 in his capacity as KMT chairman, rallying behind him top government officials Vice President Wu Den-yih and Premier Jiang Yi-huah.

“The main objective of this campaign is to lay out a case for keeping the KMT heritage alive and communicating with the public on all the promises made good by my administration since I took office in May 2008,” Ma said at the event. “We will work toward winning this election, and maintaining the KMT’s political majority.”

Ma then made an appearance in support of Taichung City Mayor Jason Hu at his campaign headquarters. He lauded the incumbent for transforming the cultural and social landscape of the central Taiwan metropolis over the years.

“The new Taichung Metropolitan Opera House and groundbreaking bus rapid transit system are both testament to the city government’s commitment to upgrading urban infrastructure and keeping Taichung at the forefront of global competition,” Ma added.

DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen also embarked on an electioneering tour Sept. 28 in central Taiwan, hosting 28th anniversary celebrations of the party in Changhua County. DPP candidates Lin Chia-lung, Wei Ming-ku and Li Wen-chung of Taichung, Changhua and Nantou County, respectively, took part in the event.

“Central Taiwan is key to winning the November elections,” Tsai said. “The DPP will continue standing by those who have supported the party.

“We seek to win public support by consolidating democracy, driving economic development, institutionalizing a monitoring mechanism for cross-strait exchanges and realizing intergenerational equity.”

Taiwan’s largest local-level elections in terms of the number of representative positions up for grabs are set to take place Nov. 29, according to the Central Election Commission.

A record 11,130 victorious candidates will be chosen as municipal mayors and councilors; magistrates, mayors and councilors of counties and provincial cities; township chiefs and councilors; aboriginal district chiefs and councilors; as well as borough and village chiefs.

Results of the nine-in-one ballots are scheduled to be announced Dec. 5.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=222212&CtNode=413)