KMT selects Legislator Chiang Wan-an as candidate for Taipei mayor

Taipei, May 25 (CNA) Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) on Wednesday selected Legislator Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) as the party's candidate for November's mayoral election in Taiwan's capital Taipei.

At the party's Central Standing Committee meeting in Taipei, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) announced the selection of the 43-year-old legislator, who Chu described as a rising star within the KMT.

According to Chu, Chiang's experience working in the Legislative Yuan and solid academic background will bring about "a new chapter" for the capital's 2.51 million residents.

Chiang later told reporters at KMT headquarters he would do his best to garner the support of Taipei's voters and that he was "confident" about winning the mayoral election.

The KMT's candidate highlighted a number of issues Taipei has grappled with in recent years, including a declining population and stalled city development.

Chiang also criticized the government for what he described as an inadequate response to COVID-19, which he said had hit Taipei harder than other parts of the country.

Without proposing specific plans to address those problems, Chiang said he would use innovative, sustainable, and technological means to make Taipei a progressive and global city.

Chiang, who previously worked as a corporate lawyer in the United States, returned to Taiwan in 2013 and has been a member of the Legislature since 2016.

Chiang is the son of former KMT Vice Chairman John Chiang (蔣孝嚴), and purported great-grandson of former President Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石). In 2005, John Chiang changed his surname from Chang (章) to Chiang, and his family, including Chiang Wan-an, later followed suit.

After graduating from National Chengchi University with a joint bachelor's degree in diplomacy and law, Chiang obtained a Master of Laws in 2004 and a Juris Doctor in 2006 from the University of Pennsylvania's law school.

The ruling Democracy Progressive Party (DPP) and other parties have yet to announce their candidates for Taipei's mayoral election, which will take place during local elections scheduled for Nov. 26.

Nevertheless, local media has over the past few months tipped Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) of the DPP and Deputy Taipei Mayor Huang Shan-shan (黃珊珊) of the People First Party as potential challengers to KMT's Chiang.

Chen and Huang have yet to officially throw their hats into the ring to replace incumbent Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who is restricted by term limits from running again.

On Wednesday, the KMT also announced the selection of former Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) and Legislator Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) as the party's candidates for Keelung mayor and Nantou county magistrate, respectively.