TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) met with popular YouTuber Holger Chen (陳之漢) on Wednesday (August 6) to discuss his political agenda as a contender in Kaohsiung’s mayoral by-election, promising to prioritize Taiwan’s industries if elected.
In a livestream video, Holger asked the DPP candidate about his father Chen Che-nan’s (陳哲男) involvement in a fraud case and how he would handle criticism. Chen Chi-mai said that he was always attacked on account of his father.
He said this happened every time he ran for a government position. As usual, he said, the Kuomintang (KMT) would surely attack him during the Kaohsiung mayoral by-election CNA reported.
He remarked that since he cannot deny that Chen Che-nan is his father, he can only quietly accept the criticism. As a result, he has studiously avoided scandal during his career as a public servant and held himself to a high standard.
When asked what policies he would propose if elected, the candidate stated the nation’s industry is the most important issue. Because of the Sino-U.S. trade war and the return of many Taiwanese businessmen, foreign businesses have slowly turned to the island nation for investment, Chen said.
The candidate pointed out that Taiwan must seize this opportunity and let Kaohsiung's industry grow in line with international standards, transition to smart manufacturing, attract more international companies to invest in the southern city, and increase employment opportunities. By doing so, tax revenues will naturally increase and the urban environment will improve, he explained.
If no action is taken, Kaohsiung will continue to deal with poor finances and air quality, Chen warned. As for the city’s debt issue, Chen said that he would try to balance the debt within four to six years, not increase it.
When the YouTuber asked about childcare policies, Chen said the number of public daycare centers and kindergartens in Kaohsiung was not increasing as fast as other cities. He shared his plan to use public housing to speed up the construction of public child care centers and encourage state-owned enterprises or large private enterprises to build public kindergartens.
