TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te emphasized the value of kindness among Taiwanese people and articulated his vision for Taiwan's future as "letting the world witness the strength of Made in Taiwan" during his speech on Saturday (Nov. 25) at the inaugural meeting of his campaign headquarters in northern Taoyuan.
The event drew DPP luminaries, including President Tsai Ing-wen, former Premier Su Tseng-chang, and Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan, underscoring the party's support for Lai's electoral bid.
The internet has taken notice of Lai's partnership with his vice-presidential running mate Hsiao Bi-khim, affectionately known as the "Virtue Team." With "Bi" translating to "beautiful" and "Te" to "virtue" in Mandarin, online fans have celebrated the wordplay in their names, creating themed images captioned 'Taiwan's beautiful virtue, beautiful virtue wins Taiwan.'
Lai emphasized the importance of choosing democracy over dictatorship and urged support for Taiwan's international industry without excessive reliance on China. He asserted that the "Lai-Hsiao ticket" is the optimal choice due to their unwavering commitment to Taiwan's sovereignty, extensive experience, and a national direction that instills confidence in Taiwan.
Among his policy priorities, Lai pledged to expedite the "Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli Silicon Valley" initiative, bolstering industries such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, military technology, security control, and low-orbit satellite production. Additionally, he intends to advance green growth, provide assistance to small and medium enterprises, and develop green energy technology to achieve the 2050 net-zero transformation goal.
Criticizing the 'Blue-White Alliance' between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) as a merger centered on party interests and personal power, Lai emphasized the necessity for the DPP to secure a legislative majority to facilitate the smooth implementation of these policies.