Exclusive Interview: Chou Chun-mi Outlines Three New Visions for Pingtung, Countering Opponent Criticism with Achievements

Pingtung County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi recently sat down for an exclusive interview with Storm Media, offering an in-depth analysis of her county governance plans and future vision.

Throughout the interview, Magistrate Chou displayed an approachable yet resolute leadership style. When discussing data on long-term care, infant childcare, and industrial investment, she spoke with precision and familiarity, reflecting her deep understanding of every inch of Pingtung and the nuances of its policies. However, when the conversation turned to political attacks from opponent Su Ching-chuan, her eyes sharpened instantly, revealing a strong defensive stance.

Chou emphasized that since taking office, she has consistently advanced county affairs under three main pillars: 'whole-life care,' 'industrial upgrading,' and 'township regional co-prosperity,' aiming to create a high-quality, livable Pingtung. At the same time, in response to political opponents’ criticisms regarding population loss and flood control projects, Chou delivered direct and incisive rebuttals, expressing full confidence in her administrative team and a firm commitment to protecting the dignity of her staff.

Three Policy Pillars: Building a Livable, All-Age-Friendly Pingtung

Chou pointed out that in terms of whole-life care, the Pingtung County Government was the first in Taiwan to establish a dedicated 'Long-Term Care Division' to precisely meet the needs of the elderly. Currently, among the county’s 443 villages and neighborhoods, 426 community care stations have been established, achieving a coverage rate exceeding 96%. Starting next year (January 1), the government will further subsidize health insurance premiums for seniors.

For children and young families, the county government offers childbirth allowances, postnatal doula services, child nutrition subsidies, and free nutritious school lunches, comprehensively reducing the burden of raising children. The county constructs continuous support for parenting families based on real-life needs—from conception and childbirth to child-rearing. (Photo: Pingtung County Government)

Regarding industrial upgrading, Pingtung is closely aligning with the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) model, building a science park and expanding the technology park adjacent to the Pingtung High-Speed Rail (HSR) station. So far, seven supply chain vendors of TSMC have already moved in, with future plans extending into the national-level space technology industry supply chain. Additionally, quality improvements are being simultaneously advanced in traditional agriculture, fisheries cold-chain systems, and tourism.

On township regional co-prosperity, Chou stated that all 33 townships in Pingtung are enhancing local living functions and quality through the construction of inclusive parks, libraries, childcare centers, and National Sports Centers, achieving balanced development across the entire county.

Educational resources continue to be invested, with the county fully subsidizing nutritious lunch fees for all students in affiliated junior and senior high schools and elementary schools starting from the 115th academic year. (Photo: Pingtung County Government)

Facing Political Attacks: Defending Civil Servants Against 'Armchair Critics'

Political elections inevitably involve attacks and issue manipulation, but for Chou, many criticisms have crossed the line of objective discussion and become mere 'political maneuvers.' She frankly stated that opponents who do not understand emergency disaster prevention mechanisms under extreme climate conditions twist temporary 'emergency measures' during transitional engineering phases into claims of 'poor quality,' and arbitrarily accuse budget mismanagement—this is deeply unfair to frontline flood control engineers.

'Those who want to be county magistrate must lead this large team forward—not throw mud before even stepping in,' Chou said. These words were not only a rebuttal to her opponent but also a warm show of support for grassroots civil servants.

Sharp Rebuttal to Su Ching-chuan: Misunderstanding County Governance and Smearing Frontline Staff

During the interview, Chou delivered a rare sharp response to criticisms raised by Kuomintang (KMT) Pingtung county magistrate candidate Su Ching-chuan regarding population outflow and flood control projects.

Chou stated that low birthrates and population mobility are structural issues at both national and global levels, and lamented their use as election topics. She emphasized that the county government has actively worked to retain youth by promoting industrial transformation, creating job opportunities (the HSR Special Zone is expected to generate at least 5,000 jobs), and enhancing childcare subsidies.

'Congressman Su keeps singing doom about Pingtung on this point—I don’t understand whether he truly grasps how county governance operates,' Chou stressed.

On the debate over flood control projects, Chou gave a stern rebuttal. She explained that in August this year, Pingtung received up to 1,700 millimeters of rainfall—equivalent to 80% of its annual average—far exceeding the design standards of past flood control systems due to extreme climate events. During heavy rains, the county team immediately deployed sandbags and steel sheet piles as 'emergency works' to block water—a necessary stopgap measure—and clarified that the main flood control projects have already been legally tendered and contracted.

Chou reiterated: 'Anyone who wants to be county magistrate will rely on this vast civil service system in the future. Su Ching-chuan, still outside the system, prematurely stigmatizes and slanders hardworking grassroots civil servants for electoral gain—that is highly inappropriate, unprofessional, and shows a lack of understanding of county governance.'

The semiconductor supply chain special zone, led by TSMC, broke ground on June 12, with TSMC and seven facility supply chain vendors moving in. (Photo: Pingtung County Government)

From discussions on revitalizing the Pingtung Airport to strategic layouts for semiconductor and space industries, Chou demonstrated a strong ambition to connect with the international stage. Amid the splashing mud of election campaigns, she chose to respond with concrete data and policy achievements. This contest is not merely a choice between policy directions—it is a battle between 'practical governance' and 'political rhetoric.' Chou made one thing clear: Pingtung’s progress must not be slandered, and the efforts of its frontline workers must not be trampled upon.