Behind the Scenes: KMT's Hsinchu County in Crisis! A Major 'She' is the Biggest Landmine, and Some Remain Angry

In 2018, Yang Wen-ke of the Kuomintang (KMT) narrowly defeated his opponent to win the Hsinchu County magistracy, riding on the wave of support for Han Kuo-yu. Eight years later, the leadership of Hsinchu County faces a transition. Legislator Hsu Hsin-ying narrowly won the KMT's intra-party primary against Deputy Magistrate Chen Chien-hsien to secure the nomination. During the process, both camps attacked each other fiercely, even escalating to judicial proceedings. Although Yang Wen-ke, serving as the party branch chairman, took charge of campaign support, and Chen Chien-hsien did not leave the party as many expected, the rift between factions remains unhealed even after three months.

On July 23, the two major parties—blue and green—clashed over the Chung Liang tainted oil scandal. On July 25, the blue camp took to the streets. Party Chairperson Cheng Li-chun, in a radio interview, discussed not only the tainted oil case but also analyzed the KMT's electoral prospects across regions. She pointed out that Chiayi City and Changhua County face clear difficulties, while Hsinchu County and Yilan County are risky but cautiously optimistic. In response, Hsu Hsin-ying stated that after her nomination, people from various backgrounds, regardless of political color, have united in support—proof of ongoing integration. However, KMT insiders familiar with Hsinchu County’s political landscape analyze that there are currently four major instability factors affecting the KMT and Hsu Hsin-ying’s electoral prospects in the county.