DPP North and Central Candidates Join Forces to Promote Green Cities

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang traveled to Taichung on Tuesday to hold a joint campaign event with Ho Hsin-chun, the party's candidate for Taichung mayor. The two gathered at Audit Village, touring the cultural and creative cluster converted from the former audit office. Having transformed into a base for arts and creative industries since 2010, Audit Village has become a key demonstration zone for Taichung City in promoting urban renewal and greening. Shen noted on-site that Taipei and Taichung have much to learn from each other in increasing green coverage and creating public green spaces, particularly the experience of retrofitting old buildings into community public spaces, which can accelerate sustainable development in both cities. Ho added that Taichung is actively promoting the "Green City" project, which will use Audit Village as a blueprint in the future to expand to other aging areas, expressing hope that through cross-city cooperation, Taipei can also benefit from urban renewal.

This joint appearance served not only as a stage for the two candidates to showcase policy consensus, but also as an important strategy for the DPP to win over central Taiwan voters in the 2024 local elections. As the largest city in central region, Taichung has traditionally been a strongholds for the Kuomintang (KMT); however, the DPP's recent achievements in the Taichung City Council and local infrastructure have gradually eroded the pan-Blue camp's advantage. One of the purposes of Shen's trip was to convey the message of "Taipei-Taichung cooperation" to Taichung voters, securing a cross-county support base by jointly promoting green cities and improving quality of life. Analysts pointed out that if the two cities can establish a cooperation mechanism in areas such as public bicycles and urban tree-lined boulevards, it will inject new momentum into the DPP's central Taiwan campaign.

Meanwhile, KMT Taichung mayoral candidate Chiang Chi-chen led pan-Blue councilors to the Dakeng hiking trails on the same day to canvass for votes. Located in the mountainous area of Dajia District, Dakeng is a demonstration site for Taichung City's recent promotion of hiking trails and low-carbon transportation. At the trailhead, Chiang declared to local residents and hikers that if elected, he would prioritize upgrading trail safety facilities and planning electric bicycle rental stations and shuttle buses to reduce private car usage and realize the vision of low-carbon transportation. This move echoes the KMT's emphasis on "environmental sustainability" issues in national elections, intending to strike a balance between environmental protection and tourism development, and to attract young voters and groups with higher environmental awareness.

Chiang's itinerary also held strategic significance. Funded and renovated by the city government since 2021, the Dakeng trails have become a popular weekend leisure route for citizens and a key asset for Taichung in promoting its "mountain city" image. By canvassing for votes there, Chiang not only demonstrated his concern for local infrastructure, but also highlighted the KMT's determination to invest resources in local governance. Observers believe that if the KMT can propose viable budgets and schedules on concrete policies such as trail upgrades and low-carbon transport, it will help bridge the gap with the DPP on urban renewal issues in recent years and enhance its competitiveness in central urban areas.

The events held by the two candidates in different venues on the same day reflect the political tug-of-war between Taipei and Taichung in the 2024 local elections. The cross-city cooperation between Shen and Ho focused on greening and cultural and creative industries, aiming to forge an image of "Taipei-Taichung shared prosperity"; Chiang took low-carbon transportation and mountain trail upgrades as entry points, emphasizing the combination of environmental sustainability and local tourism. From a policy perspective, green coverage, trail safety, and low-carbon transportation have become common focal points in the local elections and key indicators for future urban development. Whether it is the DPP's cross-city alliance or the KMT's local infrastructure, both will shape different value orientations in the minds of voters and influence the ultimate voting direction. In the coming weeks, candidates from both parties will continue to vie for public opinion with concrete proposals, shifting the focus of the campaign from slogans to execution and visible results.