By KHT Staff. Wiki Commons image shows Chen with former president Tsai in 2021.
KAOHSIUNG — A new poll released by the Chinese Association for Asia-Pacific Elite Exchange (中華亞太菁英交流協會) puts Mayor Chen Chi-mai’s (陳其邁) job-approval rating at 83.5%, with the city’s efforts to bring Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC, 台積電) to Kaohsiung receiving the highest rating among the policies surveyed.
The association has regularly released polls on national-security and cross-strait issues. It has also faced criticism from the KMT over its perceived political leanings and past polling record, allegations the group has rejected. CNA reported the dispute in 2023.
Secretary-general Wang Chih-sheng (王智盛), however, said the figures showed support across party lines, including reported approval from 56% of Kuomintang supporters and 64.6% of Taiwan People’s Party supporters.
The poll, reported by the Liberty Times, was carried out by Shanshui Public Opinion Research from Aug. 12 to 16. It surveyed 1,073 Kaohsiung residents aged 18 or older via household landlines and reported a margin of error of ±2.99 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
The association said 86.3% of respondents were satisfied with the city’s efforts to attract TSMC’s planned facilities, while 78.9% approved of the completion of the Kaohsiung Light Rail and 75.8% approved of the city’s concert-focused tourism strategy.
It also reported strong support for newer leisure projects, including the city’s free indoor family amusement park and the Starlight Waterfront Park.
The findings measure responses to the survey questions, not electoral support for Chen or his preferred successor in the November mayoral election. As with any landline poll, results may be affected by who is reachable and willing to participate, while the stated margin of error applies to the full sample rather than smaller party-identification groups.
Chen, who is serving his second and final term, will leave office after the 2026 election. His administration’s record, particularly its push to attract semiconductor investment, is expected to remain a central issue in the campaign to choose his successor.
