An independent candidate for Hualien county chief is trying to shake off the county's reputation for vote-buying, a positive step for local politics but one that only works if rivals sign on too.

• Wei Chia-hsien signed a ten-point self-discipline pledge covering money, staff conduct, campaign messaging, and post-election cleanup.
• The pledge bans buying votes, taking foreign money, doctoring images or audio of rivals, and vandalizing opponents' campaign materials.
• The push follows a Financial Times report claiming vote-buying is common in rural Hualien, which local politicians say damaged the county's name without hard evidence.
• Three local lawyers explained the election law at the launch, including how bribery is defined and the legal risk of AI-faked audio and video.
• He is inviting every candidate in the county, including his own brother running for Hualien city mayor, to sign the same pledge.

Outlook: With the year-end local elections approaching and Mid-Autumn Festival gift-giving about to test the rules, the pressure is now on other candidates to sign or explain why they won't.