Disputed data on growth, wages and tourism highlight tensions over Kaohsiung’s economic direction.

Ko said defense procurement should be guided by strategic priorities and fiscal discipline, adding that spending related to domestic production and industrial support should be incorporated into regular annual budgets to ensure legislative oversight.

Notably, 68% of Kuomintang (KMT) supporters expressed satisfaction with his performance, while approval among Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) supporters exceeded 93%.

A brief meeting between the KMT’s Ko Chih-en and the TPP’s Ko Wen-je is drawing attention amid ongoing speculation over a possible KMT–TPP alignment in Kaohsiung, where the race between Ko and the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) will likely narrow despite Lai currently enjoying a large lead in many polls.

Both Lu and Chen are increasing their international exposure. Both are building networks beyond Taiwan. And both are operating in spaces that historically serve as stepping stones to national leadership.

By RK Shih / Staff. Image via KH City Govt. KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) departed for the United States…

The seminar concluded with a renewed appeal from participants to treat the proposed defense spending budget as a non-partisan security imperative before the mid-March deadline.

Her decision came one day after she initially indicated she would not exit the race, a stance that drew widespread criticism online and from political observers.

Political analyst and lawyer Ross Feingold explained to Kaohsiung Times that “Criminal case judgments are available online, including the judgment in Huang’s case. In other words, the judgment was available to anyone who had bothered to search the court database for Huang’s name, making it likely someone brought this to the attention of the media now in order to damage Huang’s chances of winning a nomination”.

Referring to Chen’s impending departure from city hall later this year, the president said Chen would not be able to relax for long and should be mentally prepared, adding that he would likely shoulder additional responsibilities for Taiwan at the central level.