President Lai warns against complacency as top DPP figures rally for Lai Jui-lung

Although there is still time before the end-of-year elections, the political race in Kaohsiung City, a major political stronghold in southern Taiwan, is already heating up early. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lai Jui-lung is actively laying the groundwork for his mayoral bid, officially establishing a "100 Trades and Industries Campaign Headquarters" on the 3rd. The rally demonstrated the pan-green camp's deep mobilization strength and unified momentum in southern Taiwan, with heavyweights from within the party—including President Lai Ching-te, former Premier Su Tseng-chang, and incumbent Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai—personally attending to show their support. Facing the approaching party primaries and the upcoming general election, the high-profile attendees took turns endorsing Lai Jui-lung on stage and seized the opportunity to unite the grassroots supporters, ensuring that the DPP's governance experience in Kaohsiung can be successfully handed over and continued.

At the star-studded establishment rally, President Lai Ching-te traveled south in person to present the campaign flag and deliver a speech. In his remarks, President Lai commended Lai Jui-lung's past efforts and performance in both the legislature and the local constituency, emphasizing that under the governance of successive DPP mayors, Kaohsiung has successfully transformed from a traditional industrial city into a high-tech and smart city. However, facing the competitive dynamics both inside and outside the party as well as local electoral trends, President Lai also issued a warning to supporters, stating bluntly that although Lai Jui-lung currently maintains a "stable lead" in various polls, elections are volatile and there must be no room for complacency. He urged friends and supporters from all trades and industries not only to vote themselves, but also to leverage their influence to help canvas for votes, ensuring that Kaohsiung's reforms and developments can continue to take bold strides forward.

In addition to the endorsement of President Lai Ching-te, the presence of former Premier Su Tseng-chang and Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai added significant weight to the rally. Using his characteristic grassroots-friendly eloquence and rich administrative experience, Su Tseng-chang recounted the details of past cooperation between the central and local governments in promoting major infrastructure projects in Kaohsiung, and praised Lai Jui-lung's dedication and persistence in securing funding for Kaohsiung in the Legislative Yuan. Speaking from the perspective of municipal continuity, Mayor Chen Chi-mai emphasized that Kaohsiung's massive transformations in recent years regarding investment attraction, industrial transformation, and urban aesthetics all require a successor who is familiar with local affairs and possesses central government experience to shoulder the heavy responsibilities, and Lai Jui-lung is precisely one of the candidates most familiar with Kaohsiung's pulse.

Lai Jui-lung's decision to establish the 100 Trades and Industries Campaign Headquarters at this juncture reflects meticulous political and strategic calculations. As the largest city in southern Taiwan, Kaohsiung features a diverse industrial structure encompassing traditional manufacturing, small and medium-sized enterprises, high-tech industries, the service sector, and labor groups. Through the establishment of the campaign headquarters for various trades and industries, Lai Jui-lung's camp aims to demonstrate its integration capabilities across political lines and deep roots in all walks of life, proving to the outside world that he not only enjoys the support of the pan-green base, but also commands recognition from economic and industrial driving forces. This point-to-surface organizational mobilization helps consolidate his leading position in the race and further expand his political footprint.

Observing Kaohsiung's political developments in recent years—from Chen Chu's tenure to Chen Chi-mai taking over—the DPP has established a complete governance narrative and a sense of urban pride in Kaohsiung. As Mayor Chen Chi-mai's term approaches its end, the seat of the next Kaohsiung mayor has become a fiercely contested battleground for various factions. This election is not only a replacement of local leadership, but also an important indicator for evaluating the DPP's governance effectiveness in the south. As a prominent contender actively vying for the top post within the party, Lai Jui-lung's grand establishment of the trades and industries campaign association is undoubtedly an important milestone in his electoral layout. With party elders lined up in full force to escort him, whether Lai Jui-lung can translate his stable polling lead into ultimate victory will test his team's subsequent organizational mobilization and issue-setting capabilities.

(Source of Facts: Central News Agency)