Taiwan’s local elections spotlight rising political stars and 2028 ambitions

Taiwan will hold major local elections this year, with voters set to elect mayors, county magistrates, councilors and other key local officials in late November.

Candidate registration closed on Sept. 4. The races in Taipei and Taichung are widely seen as particularly consequential and could have a major bearing on Taiwan’s future political landscape.

Taipei City

As Taiwan’s capital and its political, economic, cultural, media and financial center, Taipei’s mayoralty carries exceptional weight in national politics. 

Taipei mayors are often regarded as leading potential presidential contenders.

Six candidates have registered for the Taipei mayoral race. However, the contest is expected to center on incumbent Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), who is seeking re-election, and Democratic Progressive Party legislator Shen Pao-yang (沈伯洋), who is challenging him.

Chiang Wan-an

Chiang Wan-an, the incumbent Taipei mayor, was born in 1978 and was elected in 2022 as a member of the Kuomintang (KMT). He was among the relatively small number of Taiwanese politicians to win the capital’s mayoralty at such a young age.

He holds both a Juris Doctor and a Doctor of Juridical Science degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and previously practiced law in the United States.

His legal and international-affairs background, combined with his relatively youthful political image, has made him an important symbol of generational renewal within the KMT and one of the party’s most popular political figures.

Chiang comes from a prominent political family. His most distinctive — and controversial — political asset is his family’s claim, first made by his father, that the family is descended from Chiang Kai-shek, the most prominent historical leader of the Republic of China and the KMT.

Among Chiang's more notable achievements during his tenure are the opening of the Taipei Dome, securing Nvidia's Taiwan headquarters for the Beitou-Shilin Technology Park, expanding MRT routes and advancing road redevelopment projects, and promoting free nutritious lunches for elementary and junior-high school students.

Chiang’s popularity has risen steadily since taking office. His polished public image and appearance have made him especially popular among middle-aged and older female voters, prompting speculation that he could become a leading KMT contender in the 2028 presidential election.

Shen Pao-yang

Shen Pao-yang, born in 1982, is a DPP at-large legislator in the 11th Legislative Yuan who holds a Ph.D. in criminology, law and society from the University of California, Irvine, and is qualified as a lawyer.

Before entering politics, he served as an associate professor at National Taipei University’s Graduate Institute of Criminology, specializing in criminal law, the sociology of law, information warfare and cognitive warfare.

Unlike politicians whose careers are primarily built on local organizations or executive experience, Shen’s public profile has largely been shaped by his work as an academic, legal professional and civil-society advocate.

He has long focused on China's information operations against Taiwan, united-front work, democratic resilience and national-security risks, and his attention to cognitive warfare, disinformation and infiltration has made him a highly recognizable academic-turned-politician.

Shen was one of the founders and dean of the Kuma Academy, an organization that promotes civil-defense education, first aid, emergency preparedness, media literacy and social resilience.

Because of his outspoken political positions, Shen was placed by Beijing on its 2024 sanctions list of what it calls “die-hard Taiwan independence separatists.”

For this election, Shen has proposed five major policy priorities under the acronym “HEART”: Habitat, Time, Accompany, Empower and Resilience. The agenda spans housing, river governance, childcare, community care, youth entrepreneurship and sustainable development. 

Taichung City

Taichung is Taiwan’s largest city in the central region and a major industrial and economic hub. Long known as a cultural center, it is also home to one of the world’s densest and highest-value clusters for precision machinery and smart manufacturing.

Central Taiwan has long been regarded as an important electoral battleground, often compared to a US swing state. Presidential candidates who gain a clear advantage in the region significantly improve their chances of winning nationwide.

Outgoing Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) is widely regarded as one of the KMT’s strongest potential presidential candidates. As a result, this year’s Taichung mayoral race could shape not only central Taiwan’s political map but also the dynamics of the 2028 presidential election.

Three candidates have registered for the Taichung mayoral race, with the two leading contenders being Legislative Yuan Vice President Chiang Chi-chen (江啟臣) of the KMT and DPP legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純).

Chiang Chi-chen

Chiang Chi-chen, also known as Johnny C. Chiang, is a KMT member and the current vice president of the Legislative Yuan. 

Chiang, born in 1972, holds a Ph.D. in international relations from the University of South Carolina and, as an academic by training, was recruited into central government service during the Ma Ying-jeou administration because of his academic background.

He was first elected as a legislator in 2012, has been re-elected ever since, and was elected vice president of the Legislative Yuan in 2024.

Chiang previously served as KMT chairman, becoming the youngest leader in the party’s history. He is widely viewed as a representative figure of the KMT’s younger, professional generation.

In 2018, Chiang competed with Lu for the KMT nomination for Taichung mayor, but narrowly lost the nomination in party polling. 

He subsequently threw his full support behind Lu's campaign, enhancing his standing within the party, and Lu has since returned the favor by backing Chiang in this year's election.

Chiang has spent much of his legislative career on the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, including serving as a convener. He is known for his policy-focused approach and is frequently regarded within the KMT as one of the party’s leading figures on foreign affairs and policy issues.

Since becoming vice president of the Legislative Yuan in 2024, Chiang has taken on a greater role in coordinating legislative affairs and advancing parliamentary diplomacy. He has received delegations from foreign legislatures, think tanks and Taiwan-friendly groups, while also leading cross-party delegations in international parliamentary exchanges. 

Chiang’s political profile combines expertise in international relations, long-term local engagement and extensive legislative experience. He is generally seen as a rational, steady and policy-oriented figure among Taiwan’s political middle generation.

If elected Taichung mayor and later re-elected, Chiang could accumulate substantial political capital. Given his status as a leading figure among the KMT’s younger generation, he could eventually emerge as a presidential candidate.

Ho Hsin-chun

Ho Hsin-chun, born in 1973, is a DPP legislator, a member of the party's New Tide faction, and one of the DPP's key political figures in central Taiwan. She holds a master's degree in women's studies from the University of York in the United Kingdom.

Ho was first elected to the Legislative Yuan in 2012 and has been re-elected since then. 

She has served as secretary-general and executive secretary of the DPP legislative caucus, as well as a convener of the Education and Culture Committee and the Transportation Committee.

Her legislative work covers education and culture, transportation infrastructure, the rights of children and women, social welfare and local development. 

Her political style places particular emphasis on constituency service and livelihood issues, reflecting a career path that began with local engagement and developed into national legislative work.

Drawing on her background in women’s studies, Ho frequently frames policy discussions around the needs of families, caregivers and disadvantaged groups.

She has stressed that public policy should respond to the practical needs of different generations and social groups. Her legislative performance has also earned positive evaluations from the Citizen Congress Watch and other civic organizations.