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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Elections & Politics

Shen Po-yang favored for Taipei mayor; councilor warns of 'red notice' challenge from China

From Liberty Times · (17h ago) Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Legislator Shen Po-yang is a leading candidate for the Democratic Progressive Party's nomination for Taipei mayor.
  • City Councilor Chien Shu-pei warned that Shen's expertise in combating cognitive warfare makes him a target for Chinese Communist Party attacks, posing a significant challenge.
  • Chien advised focusing on Mayor Chiang Wan-an's stagnant city governance and presenting policies that resonate with voters to secure victory.

Taipei, Taiwan – The race for Taipei mayor is heating up, and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is looking strong with legislator Shen Po-yang emerging as a top contender. His academic background and professional expertise, particularly in national security and combating cognitive warfare, make him a compelling candidate for the party's supporters.

Shen Po-yang's academic and professional experience are outstanding, especially his expertise in national security, making him a candidate that DPP supporters will definitely back.

— Chien Shu-peiDescribing Shen Po-yang's qualifications as a mayoral candidate.

However, as Taipei City Councilor Chien Shu-pei points out, Shen's very strengths present a unique challenge. His prominent role in countering disinformation campaigns has apparently placed him on a "red notice" list by the Chinese Communist Party. This means the upcoming election will not just be a contest against traditional rivals like the Kuomintang and the Taiwan People's Party, but also a battle against a barrage of attacks from across the strait. This is a different kind of political warfare than Taipei has seen before at the mayoral level.

However, facing the KMT, TPP, and the CCP's intense attacks will make the election rhythm completely different.

— Chien Shu-peiWarning about the challenges Shen Po-yang would face in the election due to Chinese interference.

Councilor Chien emphasizes that while Shen can likely solidify the DPP's base, the campaign strategy must adapt. The usual tactics of cross-strait interference, such as funding or mobilizing Taiwanese businesspeople, may be overshadowed by a more aggressive propaganda offensive. The DPP's focus, Chien suggests, should be on highlighting the stagnation of current Taipei city governance under Mayor Chiang Wan-an, preventing him from campaigning elsewhere, and ensuring Shen clearly articulates policies that resonate with the city's knowledge workers and young voters. This approach aims to keep Chiang focused on local issues and prevent him from using the mayoral race as a springboard for higher office.

The most important thing for the DPP this time is to make Chiang Wan-an face the stagnation of city governance and keep him confined to Taipei City, preventing him from campaigning elsewhere.

— Chien Shu-peiAdvising on campaign strategy against the incumbent mayor.
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.

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