TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) attended his final Cabinet meeting Thursday (July 14) before tendering his resignation to prepare for a run in the Nov. 26 Taipei City mayoral elections.

Chen served 907 days as the head of the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), appearing at most of its almost daily news conferences to explain the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic and announce new government measures.

Following months of speculation, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) confirmed Wednesday (July 13) it was nominating Chen for the mayoral race, while persuading another contender, former Transportation Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), to run for mayor of neighboring New Taipei City instead.

At Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) described Chen as a good minister with ideals and a good communicator while wishing him success in contributing to making Taipei City an even better place, CNA reported.

According to a government spokesman, with his five years and five months in office, Chen was the longest-serving health minister in 25 years. Su praised him for having Taiwan not record a single local COVID infection for 253 days, the longest period anywhere in the world, and for having promoted policies to assist a wide range of patients in all age groups.

In the Taipei election, Chen will face Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Wayne Chiang (蔣萬安), great-grandson of dictator Chiang Kai-shek and son of former Foreign Minister John Chiang (蔣孝嚴). Incumbent Vice Mayor Huang Shan-shan (黃珊珊) was expected to run with the backing of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).

A successor for Chen at the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) was likely to be named within a week, with Deputy Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) and DPP Legislator Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) among the most frequently mentioned by the media.