Hsieh Mei‑chin appears in Hsinchu, supports Zhuang with pet mooncakes

Vice President Hsiao Mei‑chin visited Hsinchu City today and, together with Democratic Progressive Party mayoral candidate Zhuang Jing‑cheng, took part in a public event where they personally crafted pet‑specific mooncakes, underscoring their emphasis on animal welfare and the pet economy. The gathering attracted numerous cat and dog enthusiasts and also marked the formal establishment of Zhuang’s campaign support association. By coupling a currently popular pet theme with concrete municipal visions, the candidate sought to create a campaign appeal that blends warmth with policy depth, aiming to win the growing electorate of pet owners.

At the venue, Hsiao and Zhuang rolled up their sleeves and, under the guidance of a professional pet baker, mixed animal‑friendly ingredients, hand‑kneaded and baked mooncakes suitable for cats and dogs for the Mid‑Autumn Festival. Hsiao has long cultivated a public image as a cat lover and animal protector; her appearance in Hsinchu not only served to support party colleagues but also leveraged her animal‑protection profile to endorse Zhuang’s pet‑friendly platform. While making the mooncakes, the two interacted with attendees and their pets, creating a warm and lively atmosphere that drew media attention and softened the tone of a typically serious political rally.

Beyond the hands‑on pet mooncake demonstration, Zhuang formally unveiled a new Hsinchu animal‑friendly city policy blueprint titled “Two Networks, One Circle, One Platform.” He noted that, with declining birth rates and an increase in “top‑customer” households, pets have shifted from being merely animals to indispensable family members. Consequently, public infrastructure and social‑welfare policies must keep pace, comprehensively enhancing animal welfare. Through his proposed framework, Zhuang aims to address multiple dimensions—including daily animal care, medical health and safety, and stray‑animal source management—to transform Hsinchu into a city that is highly inclusive for both animals and humans.

In the broader context of Taiwan’s political and social development, animal protection and pet rights have gradually moved from fringe activism to a policy arena contested by parties and politicians. Hsinchu, a high‑tech hub with a young, well‑educated, high‑income population, naturally demands higher standards of living and animal welfare than other regions. Zhuang’s decision to use “animal‑friendly” as a policy entry point precisely aligns with the lifestyle and values of Hsinchu residents. Hsiao’s participation further highlights the central administration’s attention to local animal‑protection policies, helping elevate the local election discourse to a discussion of urban‑governance vision.

The event, which combined a hands‑on experience, political rallying and policy briefing, injected fresh momentum into Zhuang’s campaign and again illustrated the DPP’s strategy of courting swing voters and specific communities through soft‑issue appeals. With the support association now officially formed, Zhuang’s campaign team will use it as a base to expand grassroots mobilization. Going forward, the crucial test will be how the abstract “Two Networks, One Circle, One Platform” vision is translated into concrete achievements and implementation plans that citizens can feel, a focal point that is expected to dominate the Hsinchu mayoral race.

(Source: Central News Agency)