“Entering politics was my choice”: Taipei mayor backs son’s U.S. exchange plans

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an said his son should not have to give up an educational dream simply because his father holds public office. Chiang’s son, Chiang Te-li, qualified for Taipei’s 115th academic-year international exchange program and received support for a year of study in the United States or Canada.

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I hope he will not be forced to give up his right to pursue his dreams simply because his father is the mayor of Taipei.

The arrangement drew questions about whether the mayor had avoided a conflict of interest. Speaking before an event on Sept. 2, Chiang said his son had received no special treatment and that no rules had been changed. He said the application followed the same published requirements and formal selection process as those used for every other student.

Chiang also said Taipei’s Education Department had clearly explained that the application met the eligibility rules and procedural requirements. He emphasized that he had not intervened at any stage and said he was proud of his son’s achievement.

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Entering politics was my choice, not Te-li’s choice.

After discussing the issue with his wife and son, the family decided not to accept the subsidy. Chiang said public figures should face strict scrutiny and that he was willing to do so. But he drew a line between his own career and his son’s choices: entering politics had been his decision, not his son’s, and as parents they would respect and support their son’s decisions.

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I am proud of him.