Former legislator Ting Shou-chung will run in the Taipei mayoral race as the Kuomintang candidate. Ting had the highest support rating - over 47 percent - in the Kuomintang's poll for Taipei mayor. Cram school educator Kao Kuo-hua has also announced he will run for Taipei mayor. He promises to give Taipei clean air again.


Former lawmaker Ting Shou-chung will represent the Kuomintang in the year-end Taipei City mayor election after winning the KMT's primary. Two of the other three KMT candidates, Taipei City Councilor Chung Hsiao-ping and former legislator Sun Ta-chien, were on hand at the announcement to show their support. A representative for former Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Vincent Chang was also present.

Our top priorities are shoring up support among "deep blue" voters and reinforcing pan-blue unity. We will also use excellent public policies to win the support of undecided voters.

Chung, Sun and Chang's support ratings were separated by just 1 percent. Ting was the clear winner with 47.63 percent of the vote. This was Ting's fourth time taking part in the KMT's Taipei City mayor primary since 1994. He either lost or withdrew for the frontrunner the other three times. There were some calls for Kuan Chung-ming to enter the race before the results were announced, but the party believes he has too much on his plate right now.

We are not considering a second recruitment phase. Of course, Kuan Chung-ming's name has been brought up. Kuan is a loyal, lifelong member of the Kuomintang, but his field is academics. He is currently battling government political suppression and standing up for neutrality and freedom in academics. The KMT will not interrupt his fight.

Huang Lu Jin-ru says the primaries are over and Ting has won, and Kuan was never interested in running in the first place. She also said Ting and Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je are neck and neck in polls and the KMT is prepared for a fierce battle ahead.