Old Rivals Put Differences Aside as Chen Ying Registers Taiwan County Race Bid

Chen Ying registered her candidacy for Taitung county magistrate with two former political rivals standing on either side of her. Lai Kun-cheng and Liu Chao-hao appeared together at the Taitung County Election Commission, presenting a show of unity for the Democratic Progressive Party as the campaign enters its final stretch.

The registration event brought out Chen’s campaign team and several local candidates. They included campaign deputy chair Wu Li-hua, campaign manager Liu Chao-hao, executive manager Chang Yu-chen, and candidates for Taitung mayor, Beinan township chief, Jinfeng township chief and county council seats. Their presence was intended to display coordination across the party’s local organization.

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Unity, responsibility and governance.

Chen focused her remarks on “unity, responsibility and governance,” referring to the past divisions within Taitung’s pan-green camp. She also responded to calls from her opponents for the judiciary not to enter politics. Chen said the judiciary’s role was to investigate possible violations, while politicians should explain whether their actions were fair and reasonable.

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History has already turned the page.

Chen said she and Kuomintang county magistrate candidate Wu Hsiu-hua, the county council speaker, both faced the highest standard of scrutiny from voters. She urged Wu to address concerns that public resources had been heavily concentrated on a single road, rather than appealing to the media through tears or accusations of political smears.

Liu acknowledged that the group had experienced periods of division and cooperation, but said “history has already turned the page.” Lai offered a lighter version of the same message, saying, “As long as everyone is happy,” and arguing that dwelling on painful past conflicts served no purpose. Chen said her team would spend the remaining campaign period visiting Indigenous communities, neighborhoods and townships, meeting voters and presenting concrete policies under principles of fairness, transparency, clean government and the rule of law.

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As long as everyone is happy.