DistantNews
Support us
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Elections & Politics

From 'Chiang Draft Machine' to 'Yin Wei Answers': Wu Ching-yi says Chiang Wan-an is just a language model from the Ma era

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an is accused of relying on his research commission chief, Yin Wei, for real-time speaking notes during council sessions, leading to the nickname 'Yin Wei Answers'.
  • Media personality Wu Ching-yi criticized this as a continuation of a "political language model" from the Ma Ying-jeou era, now with a younger face and technological packaging.
  • The criticism suggests Chiang's responses are templated and lack genuine mayoral substance, with Wu questioning if future responses might be dictated by Beijing.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an faces accusations of being a "puppet" controlled by his research commission chief, Yin Wei, who allegedly provides him with real-time speaking notes during city council questioning. This dynamic has earned Chiang the moniker "Yin Wei Answers," a pun on the tech company Nvidia (NVIDIA), highlighting concerns about his independent decision-making and communication style.

Chiang Wan-an is wearing a human skin, but is actually a puppet. Yin Wei is the puppeteer behind the scenes.

— Wu Pei-yiTaipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an is accused of relying on his research commission chief, Yin Wei, for real-time speaking notes during council sessions.

DPP legislator Wu Pei-yi first revealed the alleged practice on a radio program, stating that Yin Wei rapidly compiles information and provides "answers" to Chiang during sessions. Media personality Wu Ching-yi amplified these criticisms, describing Chiang's approach as a continuation of the "Chiang Draft Machine" political science from the Ma Ying-jeou era. She characterized it as a "Chinese-style officialese template" now enhanced with a "central processor" in the form of Yin Wei.

Wu Ching-yi elaborated on Facebook that Chiang's language model, which netizens have identified as having a similar voice, rhythm, and grammar to his staff, is a political language system passed down from the Ma era. She noted that while Chiang has a younger face and a more modern, issue-savvy presentation, the underlying mechanism remains the same. She also drew a parallel to the Ma administration's tendency to deflect problems onto political opponents, suggesting Chiang's administration now deflects issues onto President Lai Ching-te.

From the 'Chiang Draft Machine' to 'Yin Wei Answers', Chiang Wan-an is just a language model from the Ma era.

— Wu Ching-yiMedia personality Wu Ching-yi criticized Chiang's communication style as a continuation of past political tactics.

"The 'Chiang Draft Machine' is extremely accurate," Wu stated, explaining that Chiang's issue isn't an inability to speak, but rather spending excessive time memorizing scripts and being unable to answer questions outside of them. She argued that his voice lacks the necessary mayoral accountability, and his team is systematically shifting responsibility outward. Wu questioned the necessity of such a mayor for Taipei.

The 'Chiang Draft Machine' is extremely accurate, because Chiang Wan-an's problem is not that he can't speak, but that he spends a lot of time memorizing scripts and reading from them.

— Wu Ching-yiWu Ching-yi explained her criticism of Mayor Chiang's reliance on prepared remarks.

Wu Ching-yi further asserted that "Yin Wei Answers" is even more precise, as current Taipei city government responses are not just Chiang's personal style but a templated, combative reply mechanism orchestrated by his staff. She expressed concern that a hollow vessel filled with malice, whose identity shifts with the wind, might eventually take direction from Beijing, questioning, "If today it's 'Yin Wei Answers,' will tomorrow be 'Beijing Answers'?"

If today it's 'Yin Wei Answers,' will tomorrow be 'Beijing Answers'?

— Wu Ching-yiWu Ching-yi expressed concern about the potential external influences on Taipei's mayoral responses.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog