TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), vice speaker of the Legislative Yuan (立法院), Taiwan's parliament, announced his bid for Taichung mayor on Sunday (Dec. 14). Chiang made the announcement at a Christmas event in front of Fengyuan (豐原) Station. He pledged to seek the Kuomintang's (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, nomination, aiming to transform Taichung into a globally recognized city.
Chiang recently sparked speculation about his mayoral bid by placing New Year greeting billboards around the Taichung High-Speed Rail area. He expressed his vision for Taichung as a flagship city, aiming to make it Taiwan's gateway, Asia's new core, and the world's new metropolis. Chiang stated that this is what all Taichung residents expect, reflecting on the city's growth under incumbent Mayor Lu Shiow-yen's (盧秀燕) leadership.
Chiang, born and raised in Taichung, said he returned to serve his hometown 14 years ago. He expressed gratitude for the support he received, emphasizing his responsibility to meet the expectations of Taichung's citizens. Fellow KMT candidate Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓊), a KMT legislator, welcomed a fair competition, expressing optimism about the party's talented pool. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), Taiwan's ruling party, decided in October that legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純) would run for Taichung mayor in 2026. ◼