Politics

Kaohsiung Mayoral Hopefuls Pitch Economic Plans for AI Era

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By Klein Wang/Ted Chen

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With about two weeks until election day, Kaohsiung’s two front-runners are betting big on the economy. The DPP’s Lai Jui-lung and the KMT’s Ko Chih-en both want to tap into the AI boom while making sure traditional industries are not left behind. Ko has also offered plans to reverse the city’s population drain, after Kaohsiung lost more than 60,000 residents over the past six years, while Lai has promised to carry forward the policies of the DPP incumbent, Chen Chi-mai.

Kaohsiung's mayoral race is heating up, with the two front-runners pitching economic plans to carry the southern port city into the AI era. Ted Chen reports.

With about two weeks until election day, Kaohsiung's mayoral hopefuls are betting big on the economy. The two front-runners are the Democratic Progressive Party's Lai Jui-lung, a three-term lawmaker, and the Kuomintang's Ko Chih-en, a legislator-at-large making her second bid for the mayor's office.

Like the rest of Taiwan, both want to tap into the AI boom and stressed that the AI wave should not leave traditional industries behind.

Lai Jui-lung, Kaohsiung mayoral candidate (DPP): "I want to promote an AI computing center and a semiconductor packaging and testing center, as well as an international, interschool talent center and establish a fund for industrial upgrades to empower traditional industries with high technology."

Ko Chih-en, Kaohsiung mayoral candidate (KMT): "We need to link Kaohsiung's future tech sectors, including semiconductors and our well-known drone and aerospace sectors, and use smart manufacturing to help traditional industries upgrade."

Ko also offered plans to reverse Kaohsiung's population drain, after the city lost more than 60,000 residents over the past six years.

Ko Chih-en, Kaohsiung mayoral candidate (KMT): "We need to raise wages to keep people here and to improve the environment so Kaohsiung can take on the world."

Kaohsiung has traditionally been a DPP stronghold. The exception was the KMT's Han Kuo-yu, who pulled off an upset win in 2018 but was recalled in 2020 after leaving the city to run for president, to be replaced by the DPP's Chen Chi-mai. Lai is playing to that history.

Lai Jui-lung, Kaohsiung mayoral candidate (DPP): "I believe in the future I will establish my own leadership style and build on the foundation left by Mayor Chen Chi-mai to carry forward his policies."

Kaohsiung voters will be listening to what the candidates say carefully as they prepare to cast their ballots on November 28th.

Klein Wang and Ted Chen for TaiwanPlus.