Lai Jui-long on Food Safety and Urban Governance! Advocates Legal Reform to Strengthen Source Management and Push for Kaohsiung's Next Golden Decade

Democratic Progressive Party Kaohsiung mayoral candidate and legislator Lai Jui-long stated on the 22nd during a web program interview that food safety incidents transcend party lines, and the core of government governance is solving problems. Regarding the Chung Lien Oils food safety incident, he advocates amending the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act to increase penalties for manufacturers who knowingly conceal violations or fail to report, and to strengthen source management and cross-jurisdictional notification systems. On Kaohsiung's future development, he emphasized continuing the city's construction achievements, advancing semiconductor and AI industries, and leading Kaohsiung into its next golden decade.

Lai stated that the Chung Lien Oils incident highlights room for improvement in food safety governance, with manufacturers delaying reporting after process management failures and thus bearing primary responsibility. He believes food safety cannot rely solely on self-regulation, as a few manufacturers deliberately concealing issues could pose significant public risks. Therefore, he will push for amendments to the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act to increase penalties for intentional concealment and failure to report, while clarifying responsibilities between central and local authorities in inspections, reporting, and handling cross-county cases.

Lai pointed out that if given the opportunity to serve as Kaohsiung mayor, he will raise governance standards by comprehensively strengthening source management, proactive inspections, and cross-jurisdictional reporting, ensuring that 'those responsible must be held accountable, and systems in need of reform must be reformed.'

Proposing a 'Southern Rise, Moving Toward Internationalization' Vision to Continue Semiconductor and AI Industry Momentum

On Kaohsiung's municipal development, he noted that Mayor Chen Chi-mai's approval rating exceeds 80%, reflecting public approval of the city's development direction and the government's execution capacity in recent years. From Hsieh Chang-ting's urban transformation, Chen Chu's foundational major construction projects, to Chen Chi-mai's attraction of TSMC and semiconductor and AI industry planning, these are all results of years of accumulation. The next mayor's key task is to inherit these existing achievements and successfully pass the 'crucial fourth baton' of Kaohsiung's development.

Lai stated that having served 10 years in the Kaohsiung City Government and 10 years as a legislator, he is familiar with local governance and central policy operations, and is confident in ensuring seamless integration of major construction projects and industrial policies to maintain the city's competitiveness.

For his future policy vision, Lai proposed a 'Southern Rise, Moving Toward Internationalization' development blueprint, promoting the 'One Airport, Three Centers' and 'Six Arrows of Industry' initiatives to deepen semiconductor and AI industry clusters, upgrade traditional industries, and develop marine economy, agriculture and fisheries, and tourism and performance industries. He aims to further elevate Kaohsiung's rapidly growing concert economy into an internationally recognized 'event economy.'

Additionally, he emphasized continued investment in youth employment, childcare support, transportation infrastructure, social welfare, and balanced regional development, hoping that the benefits of industrial investment will be reflected in citizens' wage growth, employment opportunities, and quality of life, ensuring that urban progress reaches every household.

Lai concluded that Kaohsiung stands at a critical juncture of industrial transformation and international competition, and the next decade's development direction will determine the city's competitiveness. He will continue to engage with grassroots citizens, listen to public opinion, and strive for public support through concrete policies, governance experience, and administrative capability, working together with Kaohsiung citizens to drive continuous urban advancement.