Absent from Dadaocheng Fireworks Opening, Chiang Wan-an Asks: If Defending Food Safety Isn't a Municipal Issue, What Is?

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an asserted that defending public food safety is a core municipal responsibility, questioning critics who questioned his absence from the Dadaocheng fireworks opening ceremony.

"If defending people's food safety is not a municipal issue, then what is?" Chiang asked reporters while attending an event at the Children's Recreation Park. He drew a parallel to President Lai Ching-te, criticizing the president for not holding a national security meeting and for his silence regarding the large public gathering on Ketagalan Boulevard. Chiang suggested that Lai's inaction amounted to neglecting state affairs.

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If defending people's food safety is not a municipal issue, then what is? Conversely, President Lai Ching-te has not convened a single national security meeting to date and is unwilling to respond to the tens of thousands of people standing on Ketagalan Boulevard. Is this not neglecting state affairs?

Chiang's remarks came after he faced criticism for missing the opening of the Dadaocheng Summer Festival fireworks display. He had been attending a rally organized by the opposition parties on Ketagalan Boulevard. The mayor, however, assured that he would attend the festival's closing ceremony on August 15, a tradition he has upheld every year.

He also addressed the ongoing concerns about food safety, emphasizing the importance of the issue for his administration. Chiang's comments highlight the political tensions surrounding public safety issues and the differing approaches of the city government and the central administration in addressing citizen concerns.

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I have participated in the closing ceremony every year in the past, so this year will be the same.