Keelung says it lost NT$14 billion in central government funding over two years

Aug 26, 2026

Keelung's mayor says the city is being shortchanged on money from the central government, a fight that pits a small northern Taiwanese city against Taipei's finance ministry.

  • The finance ministry just released next year's central tax allocation figures, and Keelung says it comes up short again.
  • Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang says the shortfall across this year and next adds up to NT$14 billion.
  • He wants the central government to follow the spirit of the law that divides tax revenue between Taipei and local governments, calling the current split unfair to Keelung.
  • The city council speaker, Tung Tzu-wei, hit back, saying Hsieh once publicly shrugged off the allocation formula during the 2024 revision of that law and now owes residents an apology.

Outlook: Expect the funding fight to stay political, with Keelung pressing the finance ministry while local rivals blame the mayor for a weaker city budget.

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