Taipei: The main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) has officially nominated candidates for the upcoming local elections, naming former Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan for New Taipei mayor, lawmaker Wu Tsung-hsien for Yilan County magistrate, and physician Weng Shou-liang for Chiayi City mayor. The nominations were confirmed during the KMT's Central Standing Committee meeting as part of the party's strategy for the November 28 elections.
According to Focus Taiwan, KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun emphasized Lee Shu-chuan's experience in infrastructure development, asserting that his tenure as Taipei deputy mayor positions him as the best candidate for New Taipei. Cheng highlighted the potential for Taipei and New Taipei to drive regional development collectively. She described Wu Tsung-hsien as a legal professional with a strong sense of justice and noted that the KMT has a robust base in Chiayi City, supported by incumbent Mayor Huang Min-hui, who is actively unifying the party behind Weng's campaign.
Currently, all government heads in New Taipei, Yilan, and Chiayi City are KMT members, but they are unable to seek reelection due to term limits. Meanwhile, the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) has put forward its own candidates: chairman Huang Kuo-chang for New Taipei mayor, former lawmaker Chang Chi-kai for Chiayi City mayor, and former legislator Chen Wan-hui for Yilan County magistrate.
The KMT has expressed intentions to negotiate with the TPP to establish a mechanism for coordinating and potentially fielding joint candidates. Both parties are set to unveil a joint policy platform on Saturday, outlining shared visions and discussing a method for selecting the strongest joint candidates for the mayoral and county magistrate positions.