New Taipei's million‑voter district heats up as Su allies with Tsai against Li

As Taiwan’s local elections intensify, New Taipei City— the island’s most populous jurisdiction and a bellwether for national politics—has entered a pre‑emptive heat‑up. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Su Qiaohui and Taipei City deputy mayor Li Sichuan have both recently displayed strong ambitions on their respective social‑media platforms. Beyond the traditional grassroots canvassing that continues to be cultivated, both camps have also launched fierce battles in the digital arena of social networks and issue framing. Su Qiaohui has cleverly leveraged former President Tsai Ing‑wen’s enduring popularity, using unboxing videos and a city‑exploration initiative to court younger voters and swing‑center constituents. Meanwhile, engineer‑by‑training Li Sichuan has ridden the momentum of National Sports Day to unveil a concrete “sports voucher” proposal, hoping that a tangible policy incentive will capture public attention and further inflame the policy‑driven discourse surrounding the New Taipei mayoral race.

Su Qiaohui’s campaign activities in New Taipei have been frequent. In a recent Facebook post she released a high‑profile video that featured former President Tsai Ing‑wen in person to “unbox” a so‑called “Treasure Hunt” program. The initiative’s core concept calls on New Taipei residents to venture outdoors and rediscover the city that frames their daily lives. In the clip, the interaction between Su and Tsai appears natural and highly shareable, allowing Tsai’s massive fan base and online reach to elevate a locally focused city‑exploration effort to national prominence. This blend of senior party endorsement and digital promotion not only showcases Su’s ability to marshal party resources but also seeks to attract the social‑media‑savvy youth and quality‑of‑life‑oriented middle‑class voters through a soft, community‑oriented marketing style, thereby expanding her political support base in the city.

Conversely, Li Sichuan—regarded within the Kuomintang (KMT) as a powerful and respected figure—has responded to the DPP’s aggressive online push by emphasizing livelihood and policy. Riding the wave of National Sports Day, Li announced on Facebook that, should the opportunity arise to broaden services, the city would consider introducing a limited‑edition NT$500 sports voucher scheme. The proposal aims to provide a concrete economic incentive for New Taipei residents to adopt regular exercise habits, thereby stimulating the local sports industry and related facilities. Long perceived as a pragmatic, engineering‑focused official, Li’s use of the sports‑voucher concept on social media not only capitalizes on the sports narrative but also demonstrates his intent to translate municipal management experience into tangible welfare measures, directly appealing to sport‑enthusiastic citizens and families.

The current offensive‑defensive dynamics of the New Taipei mayoral contest illustrate a clear shift from traditional door‑to‑door canvassing to a multidimensional campaign that balances ground operations with online “air” warfare. Su’s camp excels at harnessing the aura of political celebrities and the packaging power of video content to generate buzz and online resonance, while Li’s camp leans on administrative experience and substantive policy proposals to cultivate an image of practical, steady governance. These contrasting strategies reflect each side’s tactical calculations as they vie for the city’s top post. New Taipei’s vast territory encompasses both metropolitan districts and traditional towns, and its electorate is diverse and complex; a single‑track approach is unlikely to secure a comprehensive victory. Consequently, the ability to simultaneously generate digital momentum and demonstrate concrete grassroots achievements has become a decisive factor in shaping the race.

The contest in New Taipei is more than a duel between two potential candidates; it signals broader shifts in the political landscape ahead of the 2026 local elections. As the most populous special municipality, the city’s mayoral race is often viewed as a prelude to the presidential contest and a primary battleground for party strength. Both the blue and green camps are making meticulously calculated moves. Su Qiaohui is actively shaping a new‑generation leadership image through city‑exploration projects and high‑profile collaborations, while Li Sichuan is emphasizing solid policy substance and administrative competence to underscore his governing capacity. As the campaign progresses, similar issue‑based clashes and social‑media duels are expected to become more frequent and intense, and voters will ultimately decide, with their ballots, the future direction of New Taipei’s urban development and political trajectory.

(Source: Central News Agency)