Taipei Councilor Accuses Mayor of Bullying Over Sunshade Dispute

A heated exchange erupted in the Taipei City Council between Democratic Progressive Party Councilor Jian Shu-pei and Mayor Chiang Wan-an, initially sparked by a sunshade project in Xinyi District. The dispute quickly escalated from budget allocation to a contentious issue of document requests.

Jian accused Chiang of evading her questions regarding a NT$7.44 million sunshade project, a budget that reportedly ballooned by NT$35 million in just three months. Instead of addressing the fiscal concerns, Jian alleged that Chiang resorted to name-calling, labeling her a "document-seeking Voldemort," and mobilizing a "nanny group" of city councilors to attack her. She likened Chiang's tactics to those of "Si Guangyang," a figure who faced public backlash for bullying behavior.

"When you can't answer questions, you mobilize a 'nanny group' to attack the questioner. This is how Chiang Wan-an faces supervision," Jian stated, questioning the difference between Chiang's actions and the bullying culture society condemns. She argued that public figures should not use name-calling and labeling when facing differing opinions.

Conversely, Taipei City Deputy Spokesperson Yeh Hsiang-yuan defended the administration, accusing Jian of making unreasonable and retaliatory document requests. Yeh cited multiple civil servants who reportedly claimed Jian demanded hundreds of thousands of documents within a single day. The city government urged Jian to cease her "malicious document requests" and issue a public apology to the grassroots staff.