President Lai Ching-te Misnames County Magistrate at Joint Event

President Lai Ching-te stumbled over his words during a joint appearance in Changhua County, mistakenly calling County Magistrate Wang Mei-hui by the name of a legislator from Chiayi. The slip-up happened as Lai was introducing Wang at an event focused on the National Health Insurance ward project.

This verbal gaffe followed a recent public exchange where Lai had commented that Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen "barely beat" Changhua in a performance evaluation. Wang had responded publicly, noting that the president had "finally paid attention to Changhua." Their joint appearance on Friday was thus highly anticipated, marking their first public meeting since the cross-talk.

During her speech, Wang urged the central government to provide more support for major construction projects in Changhua, emphasizing her commitment to the county's development. When Lai took the stage, he began by introducing the guests, but instead of saying "Magistrate Wang Mei-hui," he said "Legislator Wang Mei-hui" from Chiayi, a different politician.

Lai quickly realized his error, pausing and offering a brief, awkward chuckle. The moment created a palpable tension in the room. Later, during a group photo, Lai approached Wang to greet her, but she appeared to maintain a serious expression for the cameras. The combination of their prior public disagreement and the name-calling incident made their "Lai-Wang meeting" a focal point of public attention.