Yang Bao-zhen Denies Reports of Party Delaying Her Council Candidacy Decision
Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Yang Bao-zhen denied media reports that party members told her to wait until the end of 2024 to decide on running for city council.
- She accused someone of using the media to spread rumors and influence public opinion.
- The reports emerged amid internal disputes within the Taiwan People's Party.
Taiwan People's Party (TPP) politician Yang Bao-zhen has publicly refuted claims that party insiders advised her to postpone her decision on running for city council until late 2024. Yang, a prominent figure within the TPP, took to social media to clarify her position, asserting that no party member explicitly made such a statement to her. She voiced suspicion that these reports, which surfaced amidst internal party friction, were deliberately leaked to the media to shape public perception and create a narrative unfavorable to her. The controversy touches upon internal party dynamics and electoral strategies, particularly concerning the upcoming 2026 city council elections. Yang's clarification aims to counter what she describes as a 'smear campaign' and reaffirms her commitment to her political aspirations. From a Taiwanese perspective, such internal party squabbles are often closely watched, as they can significantly impact a party's unity and electoral prospects. The use of media leaks to influence internal party decisions or public opinion is a tactic not uncommon in Taiwan's competitive political landscape, making Yang's public denial a significant move to regain control of the narrative.
I still think it's necessary to clarify that no one in the party clearly told me 'wait until the end of 2024' at that time. I'm not sure who is using the media to spread rumors and create a stir.
Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.