Taiwan’s nine-in-one local elections are approaching, and Xie Jinhe, Chairman of the Wealth and Truth Media, recently posted on Facebook analyzing the “economic variables of this year’s local elections.” According to surveys, the overall economic sentiment of the people in Taiwan has been positive for the past two months, with more positive evaluations than negative ones. Xie believes that economic issues will play a significant role in the election, especially in Taipei where voters may be more attuned to economic matters. The challenge from Shen Boyang to Jiang Wan’an has brought expectations for a change in leadership quality among many.
On November 28th, Taiwan will hold the nine-in-one local elections, with six candidates vying for the position of Taipei mayor, including the incumbent Kuomintang Mayor Jiang Wan’an and the Democratic Progressive Party nominee, Legislator Shen Boyang. Xie Jinhe pointed out some key points from the surveys conducted by the Taiwan Public Opinion Expert Dai Lian, particularly on the evaluation of the current economic situation. The positive evaluation of the economy in September slightly decreased compared to August, but it has remained higher than negative evaluations for two consecutive months.
Xie Jinhe noted that the positive energy brought by AI has had a significant impact on Taiwan’s economy, especially strongly felt by the people in Taipei, with a high positive evaluation of 63.4% and a low negative evaluation of 27.8%. This economic trend is particularly unique to Taipei, whereas New Taipei City has an even distribution of positive and negative evaluations at 45.4%. This economic situation could potentially influence the upcoming local elections.
Taipei has become the center of attention nationwide, with everyone watching the “Yangstream” phenomenon stirred by Shen Boyang to see what changes it may bring. Xie analyzed that the momentum started building from various local events until Shen Boyang’s interviews with a significant increase in online engagement and discussion after his appearance on a popular radio program.
Recently, both Taipei Mayor Jiang Wan’an and Shen Boyang attended a ceremonial dinner at the Fuk Royal Temple in Zhongzhuang Village, Zhongshan District. The Chairman of the temple, Lin Chunyu, warmly received them and presented a symbolic sugarcane to express blessings. After the event, it was reported that Jiang Wan’an’s team had left the sugarcane planted and dedicated by an elderly person to the Temple of the Land God on the roadside, which was later retrieved by the temple. Jiang Wan’an later apologized for the oversight.
Xie Jinhe pointed out that some believe the “Yangstream” movement is merely showy and will ultimately end up like the “Big Recall” with a peak followed by decline. However, he disagrees, noting that Taipei’s electorate, being more economically inclined, may play a crucial role in this election.
The “Big Recall” refers to the largest political and social recall movement in Taiwan during 2025, primarily targeting 31 Kuomintang legislators and the Mayor of Hsinchu, Ko Hung-an. After two rounds of voting on July 26th and August 23rd, all 32 recall cases were ultimately rejected.
Furthermore, Xie mentioned that the trust and satisfaction ratings for President Lai Ching-te have exceeded 50%, contrasting with the resentment prevalent during the “Big Recall” period last year. Of particular interest is the low acceptance rate of the “One Country, Two Systems” proposal and the high disapproval rating of the Chinese Communist Party, with only a 7.5% approval rating. This shift reveals an increasing sense of Taiwanese identity among the public.
The race for New Taipei City mayor has intensified, with the Kuomintang nominating Li Sichuan, who will hold major rallies in areas like Banqiao. Xie emphasized the significance of the recent mayoral election campaign in New Taipei City, with notable absences of Chairwoman Zheng Li-wen at events attended by Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu, Taipei Mayor Jiang Wan’an, New Taipei City Mayor Hou Youyi, former New Taipei City Mayor Chu Li-lun, among others.
Xie Jinhe concluded that Shen Boyang’s challenge against Jiang Wan’an has exceeded initial expectations, with many now intrigued by the high caliber of candidates and anticipating a potential shift in leadership. He boldly declared that the remaining 50+ days of this election will undoubtedly be exciting to watch.