Kaohsiung Mayoral Candidate Lai Rui-long Unveils Campaign Visuals and Policies; Opponent Ko Chih-en Calls for Clarity on Energy Stance

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Lai Rui-long unveiled his campaign's main visual, themed "Southern Rise, Towards Internationalization," on May 12th. The visual, featuring vibrant fuchsia to symbolize creativity and passion, along with a rising sun for hope and dynamic diagonal lines for action, represents the confidence of Kaohsiung residents in pursuing progress.

Lai stated that the campaign visual is not just an election identifier but also demonstrates a determination to usher in a new golden decade for Kaohsiung. He positioned himself as the "fourth batter" in a succession of leaders, following former mayors Hsieh Chang-ting and Chen Chu, and current Mayor Chen Chi-mai.

Lai outlined his vision for Kaohsiung to become a core hub driving the "Southern Rise" over the next decade, with comprehensive planning in key areas such as semiconductors, AI computing power, smart manufacturing, defense aerospace, agricultural and fishery technology, cultural tourism economy, and international gateways. He specifically proposed the establishment of a "Semiconductor Advanced Process and Packaging & Testing Center" to deepen the related industrial ecosystem and supply chain.

Emphasizing that "computing power is national power," Lai announced plans for an "AI Computing Power and Application Service Center." This initiative aims to leverage sovereign AI, an industry model library, and energy resilience to make computing power a crucial foundation for upgrading various industries. He also plans to accelerate the construction of a "City GPT Smart Platform" for applications in municipal services like traffic management, disaster prevention, and public infrastructure maintenance.

Lai also mentioned collaborating with top universities like National Tsing Hua University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, along with local institutions, to cultivate high-tech professionals. He aims for manufacturing, agriculture, fishery, and cultural tourism sectors to thrive together, using AI to help traditional industries connect with high-value supply chains and promoting smart agriculture and fishery.

In response, Ko Chih-en's campaign office stated that Ko had already presented her comprehensive policy proposals by the end of March, many of which Lai's platform appears to reference, such as the "Semiconductor Advanced Process and Packaging & Testing Center."

The Ko Chih-en campaign office urged Lai to provide corresponding supporting plans for his proposals and explain how they will be achieved. They questioned whether the proposed "AI Computing Power and Application Service Center" would utilize nuclear power or adhere to Lai's past stance of a "nuclear-free homeland," insisting on the use of solar and thermal power.

Ko's office emphasized that Kaohsiung is at the forefront of AI development, making "stable power supply" paramount. They called on Lai to clarify his position and attitude on energy choices and report clearly to the citizens.