Browsing: Kaohsiung politics

Within a year, Kaohsiung may be completely CKS-statue-free. It’s unlikely there will be a ceremony when the last one comes down. Half a century has passed since the Generalissimo’s death, and while Taiwan will never forget his legacy, at least in the south, the former leader will no longer be quite so in-your-face.

Beijing’s growing power has made it impossible for any Taiwanese politician to ignore cross-strait relations. Whether they like it or not, every party, every candidate, must factor China into their strategy. In this sense, Beijing’s mere presence — not its actions — already shapes Taiwan’s political landscape.

Once buoyed by strong early polling and factional backing, legislator Lin Dai-hua’s (林岱樺), decline has reportedly left the DPP’s Kaohsiung network — known as the Chu faction (菊系), linked to former Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) — divided and unmotivated to unite behind a single candidate.