Lee Chuan-chiao Explains Early Departure from Rally: 'We Had Schedules to Keep'

New Taipei mayoral candidate Lee Chuan-chiao and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih appeared together at a rally on Ketagalan Boulevard, an event organized by the Kuomintang (KMT) to protest against toxic cooking oil. Lee emphasized that food safety concerns should unite politicians across party lines.

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Food safety knows no color, and Hou Yu-ih and I agreed to 'take to Ketagalan Boulevard together' to speak for citizens.

"Food safety knows no color," Lee told reporters, adding that he and Hou had agreed to "take to Ketagalan Boulevard together" to voice citizens' concerns. He stated their shared goal was to uncover the truth behind the toxic oil scandal and pledged continued collaboration with Hou for New Taipei's development.

When questioned about Hou's absence from the stage during KMT Chairwoman Chiao-Hua Chang's speech and Lee's own early departure, Lee explained that both he and Hou had other scheduled engagements. Hou needed to attend a music festival in Gongliao, while Lee had a prior commitment in Xinzhuang. He confirmed they had informed the party of their need to leave early to attend these separate events.

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We had agreed to 'take to Ketagalan Boulevard together' to speak for citizens and seek the truth about where the toxic oil came from.

Lee also mentioned that he and Hou would "each work hard" towards the 2026 elections, indicating a focus on their individual campaigns while maintaining a united front on key issues like food safety.

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We both had schedules to keep. After Ketagalan Boulevard, I had another engagement in Xinzhuang.