2026 Elections: Chiang touts mayoral record at campaign HQ opening

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) highlighted his administration’s achievements and pledged to continue moving the capital forward at the opening of his campaign headquarters yesterday, as he seeks a second term in the Nov. 28 local elections.

Speaking at a rally at Dunhua Junior High School in Taipei, next to the campaign headquarters, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) mayor highlighted Taipei’s receipt of a Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Special Mention earlier this year and Nvidia’s decision last year to establish its first overseas headquarters in the capital.

He also cited initiatives including free milk for schoolchildren, free school lunches, measures to reduce smoking in public spaces and progress on six MRT projects.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an speaks during the inauguration of his campaign headquarters in Taipei yesterday.

Photo: AFP

"As mayor, I’m not just looking at the next few weeks of the election campaign, but at Taipei’s future 20 years from now," Chiang said, calling for continued investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and urban development.

Chiang also acknowledged that some supporters had expressed anxiety over the election campaign, describing himself as "perhaps a little too honest" and "sometimes a bit boring," but saying he would not create a new public persona simply to win votes.

"The Chiang Wan-an you chose four years ago is the same Chiang Wan-an standing on this stage today," he said.

Chiang was joined at the rally by several prominent political figures, including KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li- wun (鄭麗文), Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌).

Among the thousands attending the event was a 44-year-old medical industry worker surnamed Yang (楊), a father of three daughters aged 10 to 16.

Yang said that although he was not always a KMT supporter, he backed Chiang in this election because he approved of his performance as mayor, including policies benefiting families like his own.

The Taipei resident praised the city’s free milk program, which provides one bottle of milk or soy milk per week to eligible children aged 2 to 15, as well as measures to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, including the installation of outdoor negative-pressure smoking rooms.

Yang said Chiang was not very good at promoting his achievements, adding that negative commentary online had motivated him to attend the rally to "show his support through action."

Chiang Wan-an is facing Democratic Progressive Party candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋) in the election.