Will Chiang Wan-an's Popularity Overshadow Lu Hsiao-yan? Cheng Chao-hsin: Polls Will Sum Up, Not Squeeze

Taichung Deputy Mayor Cheng Chao-hsin appeared on senior media personality Huang Kuang-chin's program "Opinion Q-Bomb Battle" on the 31st, addressing reports that Mayor Lu Hsiao-yan would officially enter the 2028 election campaign office after stepping down from her mayoral position on December 25 of this year. Cheng responded, "I can confirm Sister Kuang-chin isn't suffering from presbyopia," and stated, "We will provide appropriate responses in due course and won't disappoint the public," indirectly acknowledging that strategic preparations are underway, though without confirming specific details.

Huang Kuang-chin noted during the program that Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an has recently expanded far beyond municipal affairs. The July 25 Ketagalan Avenue rally, initiated by Chiang, significantly boosted his political stature, with some commentators dubbing him the 'young leader' or 'unifying figure.' If Chiang's poll numbers continue to lead, could this squeeze Lu Hsiao-yan's political space?

In response, Cheng emphasized that the primary political battleground remains the 2026 local elections. He explained that public support naturally concentrates on candidates currently facing elections, calling this a healthy phenomenon. He analyzed that candidates within the same camp—not limited to the Blue camp, but potentially including the White camp—could, if the Blue-White alliance remains intact, experience a cumulative effect in polling rather than mutual suppression, based on past experience. He added that after the 2026 elections, both the public and their own camp would reassess strategies, with the key challenge being how to integrate individual political visibility into collective strength.

Cheng further stressed that Chiang Wan-an and Lu Hsiao-yan share a 'sibling' relationship, demonstrating high levels of默契 in political decision-making. This extends to their respective staff teams, which maintain multi-layered interactions and communications. He also mentioned that current Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu was his former superior, and from his observation, information sharing and consensus-building among Chiang, Lu, and Han are functioning smoothly.

Huang then questioned whether, despite the widely acknowledged close personal rapport between Lu and Chiang, the idea of a 'Lu-Chiang alliance' is truly plausible, expressing skepticism.

Cheng responded from a party strategy perspective, arguing that for the Kuomintang (KMT) or the broader non-Green camp to return to power, they must develop entirely new cooperation models previously unimagined or deemed unworkable by outsiders. Citing the recent food safety crisis as an example, he explained that past coordination among the six special municipalities and the KMT caucus was fragmented, but this time the collaboration was significantly smoother. The main reason, he said, was the shared challenge of confronting a central government that refuses to admit fault, which created an opportunity for local governments to unite, thereby building a foundation of mutual trust and a collaborative system—so tightly knit, he noted, that it even surpassed the level of coordination seen during last year's mass recall period.

Cheng admitted that "nobody believed KMT political leaders could cooperate" was a prevailing public impression in the past. However, he believes that if the trust network and collaboration system forged during this food safety crisis can be sustained, it will demonstrate a new model of cooperation unlike anything seen before—one worthy of public anticipation.

When Huang again raised media reports about Lu moving into the 2028 campaign office after handing over the mayoral duties on December 25, implying early preparations for the presidential race, Cheng replied with a touch of humor: "I can confirm Sister Kuang-chin isn't suffering from presbyopia." He stated that the team has heard various well-intentioned suggestions from society and will respond appropriately at the right time. He emphasized they won't let public expectations go unmet and asked for a little more time to gradually unveil their future plans.