Cablegate: Tainan Mayoral Election Heats Up
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS TAIPEI 003900
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON
DEPT FOR EAP/TC, INR/EAP
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL TW
SUBJECT: Tainan Mayoral Election Heats Up
Ref: TAIPEI
1. The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) party announced it will
nominate Chien-Lin Hui-chun to run for Tainan Mayor in the
upcoming mayoral election. Chien-Lin is a Policy Advisor to
the Presidential Office and Chief of TSU's party office in
Tainan City. She served as Tainan City Legislative Yuan
(LY) member 2001-2004, but failed in her 2004 re-election
bid. She attributed her 2004 loss to the DPP's election
campaign strategy, which helped all DPP candidates get
elected but squeezed out pan-green and DPP-allied TSU
candidates.
2. Chien-Lin's nomination has shocked the heretofore-
complacent local DPP organization and should affect the re-
election prospects of incumbent DPP Mayor Hsu Tain-tsair.
Chien-Lin stated her supporters encouraged her to run
because they were upset with the current administration's
performance. She also stated that former President Lee Teng-
hui is pleased with her decision to run. To criticism from
some DPP members accusing her of splitting the pan-green
camp, she rejoined that Tainan City residents should have
the chance to make their own choice.
3. DPP Tainan City headquarters officials said they will
continue seeking cooperation with the TSU. Incumbent DPP
Tainan Mayor Hsu Tain-tsair and KMT mayoral candidate Lin
Jung-sheng both announced that they welcome Chien Lin to
join the race and hope for a fair election.
4. In response to TSU's nominating Chien-Lin Hui-chun for
the Tainan mayoral election, the strongly independent
Southern Taiwan Association, expressed concern that two pan-
green candidates might undermine pan-green election
prospects. The Association is urging the pan-green camp to
cooperate and nominate only one candidate, offering to
mediate between TSU and DPP officials to seek a solution to
this standoff.
THIELE
KEEGAN