The Mayor of Taipei, Chiang Wan-an, Leads in Online Presence: Calls on the Government to Address High Tariffs from the US and Internal Challenges
In April 2025, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an had the highest online visibility among county and city leaders in Taiwan and became a political focal point due to his shift from a moderate to a more hardline stance. He openly criticized the Democratic Progressive Party in the city council and urged the government to tackle the high tariffs imposed by the United States and domestic challenges, and called for an end to political infighting. Chiang Wan-an emphasized that his words and actions reflect the opinions of the grassroots and expressed support for Kuomintang legislators facing recall efforts, and urged the central government to focus on livelihood issues.
Key Updates
05/05 03:06
The Mayor of Taipei, Chiang Wan-an, Leads in Online Presence: Calls on the Government to Address High Tariffs from the US and Internal Challenges
In April 2025, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an had the highest online visibility among county and city leaders in Taiwan and became a political focal point due to his shift from a moderate to a more hardline stance. He openly criticized the Democratic Progressive Party in the city council and urged the government to tackle the high tariffs imposed by the United States and domestic challenges, and called for an end to political infighting. Chiang Wan-an emphasized that his words and actions reflect the opinions of the grassroots and expressed support for Kuomintang legislators facing recall efforts, and urged the central government to focus on livelihood issues.
Internet Popularity Surge: From "Gentleman" to "Assertive Mayor"
According to the public opinion analysis by "KEYPO Big Data Analytics" for April 2025, Chiang Wan-an ranks first in online popularity among all county and city leaders in Taiwan, with "boldness" being the key term. The analysis points out that Chiang Wan-an was previously known for his gentle image, but recently he has shown an unusually tough attitude, speaking openly in response to council inquiries and even calling for a "cabinet dismissal," making him a focal point in political discussions.
On April 11, during a council session, Chiang Wan-an responded to a question from DPP councilor Chien Shu-pei, "Which country wants to eliminate the Republic of China?" by responding, "It's the DPP and the Communist Party," accusing the DPP of "talking anti-communism while harboring spies for the Communist Party." These remarks sparked heated online discussions, with supporters praising his boldness and opponents criticizing his logic and attitude.
On April 17, Chiang Wan-an personally went to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office to protest, stating that he was attending as a mayor, a citizen, and a father, and advocating for the Legislative Yuan to push for a cabinet dismissal, calling for a no-confidence vote against President Lai Ching-te through a legislative re-election. He stated, "Instead of allowing the ruling party to use unjust means to harm Taiwan, it's better to confront them directly."
Echoes of Grassroots Opinion: Focusing on High Tariffs and Livelihood Issues
Chiang Wan-an has repeatedly emphasized in public that his statements and actions "reflect the voices of grassroots people." Facing the economic impact of the 32% retaliatory tariff imposed by the United States on Taiwan, Chiang Wan-an pointed out that grassroots small and medium enterprises and laborers are deeply affected, and the government should propose concrete measures rather than merely political maneuvers.
He criticized the Executive Yuan's proposed special budget of 410 billion NTD as "bloated," with only 93 billion NTD actually used for industry support, and urged the government to focus on "people's livelihood and the well-being of the populace" as the core of governance. He stated, "People hope for a government that can unite the ruling and opposition parties to face internal and external challenges together, rather than continuing internal strife and social division."
Additionally, Chiang Wan-an also expressed his stance on food safety issues, emphasizing that the government should strictly control the import of ractopamine pork, require clear labeling of origins, and protect the public's right to know and choose. He said, "Protecting the public's food safety is non-negotiable."
Facing the Recall Wave: Standing with KMT Legislators
Amid the nationwide recall wave, five KMT legislators from Taipei City, including Wang Hung-wei and Hsu Chiao-hsin, are in the second stage of the recall process. Chiang Wan-an publicly supports these five legislators, emphasizing that their performance in local service and parliamentary supervision is well recognized, and they closely cooperate with the city government to secure construction budgets.
He stated, "I will definitely fight alongside and cooperate with the five legislators." Regarding reports that the cabinet will be reorganized into a "combat-type cabinet" to face the recall wave, Chiang Wan-an urged the central government to prioritize domestic and international challenges over political struggles. He said, "The cabinet should not focus on promoting mass recalls but should prioritize addressing various domestic and international challenges."
"Say What Needs to Be Said, Do What Needs to Be Done": Chiang Wan-an's Political Lexicon
Chiang Wan-an has recently reiterated the phrase "say what needs to be said, do what needs to be done" as the core of his political stance and actions. He emphasized that this is not an expression of personal emotions but a response to grassroots public opinion. He pointed out that people care about substantive policies and quality of life, not political struggles and hatred.
During a community leaders' meeting in Da'an District, Chiang Wan-an reiterated, "I am just reflecting the voices of grassroots people, saying what needs to be said, doing what needs to be done." He urged the government to stop social division and hatred and return to livelihood issues to truly meet the people's expectations.
