2026 ELECTIONS/Chiang touts first-term results; Shen denies cash gift rumors

Taipei, Oct. 18 (CNA) Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) touted his administration's achievements on Sunday, while his Democratic Progressive Party rival, Puma Shen (沈伯洋), pledged to keep the city's cash gifts for senior citizens if elected in the upcoming mayoral race, amid rumors he might scrap the policy.

Speaking at the launch of his supporters' association in Songshan District, Chiang, who is seeking reelection as the Kuomintang candidate, said he had improved the district since taking office in December 2022 by upgrading transportation infrastructure, strengthening health care services and attracting more tourists to boost local businesses.

He also said his recently announced policy to lower the eligibility threshold for the city's urban renewal program would facilitate the redevelopment of aging buildings in Songshan and across Taipei.

Chiang highlighted key childcare initiatives from his first term, including increasing the number of childcare centers in Taipei from four before he took office to 45. He urged voters to give him another four-year term to keep the city moving forward.

Meanwhile, Shen held a campaign motorcade in Songshan and Xinyi districts on Sunday evening, followed by a rally at Minquan Park.

Speaking to reporters at Wufenpu Park in Xinyi District before the motorcade set off, Shen dismissed as false online rumors that he would cancel the Taipei City government's cash gifts for senior citizens if elected mayor.

The gifts are distributed for the Double Ninth Festival, a traditional holiday honoring the elderly.

Shen said he would keep the payments but seek to make them "more meaningful and interesting." Citing practices in other countries, he suggested inviting seniors to record messages for younger generations when collecting the cash gifts.

Among those attending the event at Wufenpu Park was Sharlene Weng, a 45-year-old Taipei resident who works in the technology sector. She told CNA she particularly liked Shen's approach to developing the Beitou-Shilin Technology Park.

Weng praised Shen's support for a partially underground substation to supply electricity to the technology park, saying it could provide stable power at a lower cost than a fully underground facility while incorporating public amenities, such as a park for local residents.

Taiwan's 2026 local elections, scheduled for Nov. 28, are also known as the "9-in-1" elections because voters in the country's 22 cities and counties will elect officials to nine types of local government posts, including city mayors, county magistrates, and city and county councilors.

Other positions up for election include township chiefs, chiefs of Indigenous districts in special municipalities, township and Indigenous district councilors, and borough and village chiefs.

In all, the elections will fill 11,051 posts at all levels of local government.