Taipei Councilor Questions Mayor's 'Firewall,' Cites Communication Gaps

Taipei City Councilor Qin Hui-zhu has voiced concerns over the city government's communication strategy, suggesting that Research and Development Committee Chairman Yin Wei is an insufficient "firewall" for Mayor Chiang Wan-an. Qin believes the mayor is bearing too much of the public's criticism on issues ranging from flooding to street umbrellas and typhoon holidays.

During a city council session, Qin pointed out that the mayor frequently appears to be repeating the same responses, likening them to "copy-paste." She recalled that former Deputy Mayor Li Chi-chuan had previously served as a stronger buffer, but with his departure, Yin Wei's role feels "a bit strange." Qin suggested that the new Deputy Mayor, Chang Wen-tang, lacks name recognition, leaving the mayor to handle multiple roles, including public works and spokesperson duties.

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We are one team, we don't fight amongst ourselves, and we must stand together through wind and rain.

Responding to the criticism, Yin Wei expressed gratitude for the councilor's feedback. He affirmed his commitment to teamwork, stating, "We are one team, we don't fight amongst ourselves, and we must stand together through wind and rain." Yin emphasized that political appointees have a duty to defend and explain policies they are responsible for.

Another KMT councilor, Liu Tsai-wei, echoed that constructive feedback is valuable. She noted that Mayor Chiang has consistently faced public scrutiny, with the city government responding and clarifying policies. Liu stated that no single individual acts as a "firewall," as all political appointees are responsible for explaining policies and clarifying misinformation, which is standard practice for the city team.

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All political appointees have a duty to defend the policies they are responsible for and speak what they should say.