DPP takes its "A Good Life in Taiwan" policy briefing to Chiayi City, spotlighting central government projects on the ground

Aug 23, 2026

The ruling party brought its 2026 local policy briefing series to Chiayi City, stressing that central government resources have already been delivered on the ground — a positive message for local voters — while also pushing responsibility for the pace of transport projects back onto the city government.

  • Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang and Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai took turns reporting on projects the central government has carried out in Chiayi City in recent years, stressing that these were not pre-election promises but works already completed or under construction.
  • The record presented by the central government includes subsidies for old housing, road and pedestrian environment improvements (with the central government covering most of the funding), and the largest item by value, the elevation of the Chiayi railway line.
  • Allowances for police and firefighters, administrative expenses for village and borough chiefs, and subsidies for city councillors' assistants have also been raised, in an appeal to frontline grassroots personnel.
  • The Chiayi City government says it has been seeking a light rail line for 21 years, but the central government says the city only formally submitted its application in 2022, that cross-jurisdictional coordination remains incomplete, and that a revised version has yet to be returned to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
  • Legislator Wang Mei-hui was singled out as a key figure in securing central government funding, amounting to an endorsement of her work in the constituency.

Outlook: With the 2026 local elections approaching, the central government and the Chiayi City government are trading blame over the delayed light rail project, which is expected to become one of the main themes of the campaign.

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