High School Student Erases Mayor Kao's Signature, Asks Shen Boyang to Sign Instead, Sparks Controversy

Recently, a high school student brought an academic excellence award received during middle school in Hsinchu City and erased the signature of Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an at the top before asking Shen Boyang, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate for Taipei mayor, to sign it. This act sparked online discussion and criticism. In response, Shen Boyang posted on social media emphasizing that elections should not suppress freedom of speech or creativity. Speaking to reporters at Qian Gang Park in Shilin District, Shen stated that the certificate represented a personal story between the student and himself, and that he had 'no disrespect whatsoever toward Mayor Kao' when signing it. He urged the public not to attack the student and called for debates to focus on city policies.

Shen pointed out that during election campaigns, people naturally express various forms of creativity, and he tries his best to meet everyone's requests. However, he stressed that the individual involved is merely a student and should not be attacked. He reiterated that the certificate was purely a personal connection between the student and himself, and there was absolutely no intention of disrespect toward Mayor Kao at the time of signing. He emphasized that meaningful debates should center on municipal policy issues.

When asked by media whether this incident reflects a rising level of hate in the election campaign, Shen replied, 'It's not that bad.' As the election heats up, voters naturally have their preferred candidates, and he suggested that discussions should return to policy grounds—exploring concrete policy reasons for supporting or opposing specific candidates. If communication remains rational and policy-focused, so-called 'hate' will not emerge.

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