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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 DPP eyes ex-premier for New Taipei
Former premier Su Tseng-chang, right, and Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu, second right, are photographed yesterday at the Eball Foundation’s offices in Taipei. Photo: CNA
By Yang Chun-hui and Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Former premier Su Tseng-chang （蘇貞昌） yesterday said he was willing to seriously consider running for New Taipei City mayor.
Su met with Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu （陳菊） and Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Electoral Strategy Committee convener Lin Hsi-yao （林錫耀）, who encouraged Su to run for city mayor.
After the meeting at the Eball Foundation office, Su saud that, like Chen, he would step up if he knew that the nation and the public needed him.
Su, who served as Taipei County commissioner for eight years, said that he has deep feelings for New Taipei City and is grateful to the city’s residents, adding that he knows that the Nov. 24 mayoral election would be a very important and difficult battle.
Taipei County was upgraded to New Taipei City in 2010.
Chen, who represents the DPP’s Central Executive Committee, repeatedly told him that she hoped he would take on this huge responsibility, Su said.
He said he would tell the committee and the public as soon as he has come to a decision.
The DPP has yet to announce a New Taipei City mayoral candidate and many supporters are very anxious, said Chen, who is to become Presidential Office secretary-general by the end of the month.
Su was Chen’s defense lawyer during the Kaohsiung Incident （also known as the Formosa Incident）, Chen said, adding that the November elections would decide whether Taiwanese democracy and reform would continue to flourish.
If it were only for himself, Su would probably be unwilling to run, Chen said, adding that while he did not immediately agree to run, he said he would seriously consider it.
She said she also told Su of the importance of the election to the DPP, saying this is a very strict “midterm exam” for President Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） and Premier William Lai （賴清德）.
Having been a mayor for 12 years herself, she knows that Su performed well during his eight years as Taipei County commissioner, she said.
Even more important is the trust and nostalgia that New Taipei City residents feel toward Su, she said.
The DPP has an opportunity to govern New Taipei City again, she added.
If Su is allowed to work with New Taipei City residents, the city, under his leadership, could excel and surpass itself, she said.
Tsai, who is also the DPP chairperson, is to meet with Su on Thursday morning and personally ask him to run for New Taipei City mayor, an unnamed source familiar with the matter said.
The DPP is expected to decide on its New Taipei City mayoral candidate by the end of the week, the source added.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
