DPP names candidates for Taoyuan, Hsinchu mayoral races

Taipei, April 15 (CNA) Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Wednesday formally nominated former Deputy Justice Minister Huang Shih-chieh (黃世杰) and former legislator Chuang Ching-cheng (莊競程) to run for mayor in Taoyuan and Hsinchu, respectively.

The nominations, approved by the DPP's Central Executive Committee, finalize the party's candidates for two key battleground cities. Huang will challenge incumbent Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng (張善政) of the Kuomintang (KMT), while Chuang will face Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an (高虹安), who is seeking re-election.

Kao returned to office late last year after being acquitted of corruption charges. She was suspended from her post and from the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) in July 2024 after being indicted in a corruption case dating to her time as a legislator, and was sentenced to more than seven years in prison in a first-instance ruling before the acquittal.

● Hsinchu Mayor Kao back in office after 17-month suspension

Huang, a legal scholar by training, holds a Master of Laws degree from Columbia University, as well as master's and bachelor's degrees in law and sociology from National Taiwan University. He has served as a legislator and as deputy justice minister.

Earlier in his career, Huang joined Taoyuan City government during its transition to a special municipality, where he helped streamline roughly 1,500 regulations and provided legal support across departments, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), who also serves as DPP chair, said at the committee meeting.

Huang was elected to the Legislative Yuan in 2020, where his work focused on legal affairs and local infrastructure development, particularly in Taoyuan, Lai said.

Chuang, meanwhile, has a background in biomedical engineering and academia. He earned a doctorate in biomedical engineering from National Taiwan University and has served as an assistant professor at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Lai said.

Chuang previously served as a legislator and as executive director of the Executive Yuan's Central Taiwan Joint Services Center. During his legislative tenure, Chuang took part in advancing laws related to regenerative medicine, including regulations governing regenerative treatments and products, according to Lai.