DPP MP Zhang Zhihao countered the Kuomintang’s out-of-context quote: Keelung City has installed clean needle vending machines since 2008, questioning Jiang Wanan’s political manipulation of drug issues
Quick Look
- DPP Keelung City Councilor Zhang Zhihao criticized the Kuomintang for taking out of context an old article on drug prevention and control by DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Boyang.
- He posted photos of clean needle vending machines and recycling boxes installed in Keelung City since 2008, emphasizing that the purpose of harm reduction policies is to reduce the risk of drug addicts sharing needles.
- HIV and hepatitis infection risks, and questioned the Kuomintang Taipei Mayor Chiang Wanan who supported increasing the accessibility of methadone treatment resources in 2021, but used political language to manipulate the drug issue during the 2026 election, creating a confrontation between blue and green, which in fact did not help solve the drug problem.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Keelung City has installed clean needle vending machines and recycling boxes since 2008, aiming to reduce the risk of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C infection caused by sharing needles among drug addicts who cannot obtain clean needles. At the same time, drug addicts are contacted through pharmacies and health centers to provide opportunities for referral to addiction treatment. This policy was launched when Ma Ying-jeou was the president, Zhang Tongrong was the mayor of Keelung County, Hao Longbin was the mayor of Taipei, and Zhou Xiwei was the county magistrate of Taipei.
The Kuomintang's old article on drug prevention and control against DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Boyang was taken out of context. After Taipei Mayor Chiang Wanan misinterpreted Shen Boyang's original intention in a Facebook post, he then questioned, "Do communities in Taipei City allow drugs and needles to be provided for drug users to inject themselves?" In response, Keelung City Councilor Zhang Zhihao of the Democratic Progressive Party posted an article this afternoon (4th) about Keelung City’s needle vending machines and recycling boxes, emphasizing that Keelung City has been planning to set up needle vending machines since 2008. At that time, the head of the KMT and the president were both KMT members, and questioned whether Jiang Wanan understood the principle of "harm reduction" in 2021, but in 2026, Jiang Wanan used political language to manipulate drug prevention and control issues.
Zhang Zhihao said that the photos he posted were of the clean needle vending machine and needle recycling box at the entrance of the Anle District Health Center in Keelung City, and they were taken this morning. The reason why he planned to set up a "clean needle vending machine" is because drug addicts cannot get them in the middle of the night. If they don’t have clean needles, they will run to the pharmacy, causing trouble to the pharmacy. Therefore, Keelung City began planning to install clean needle vending machines in 2008. At that time, the president was Ma Ying-jeou, Keelung County Mayor Zhang Tongrong, Taipei Mayor Hao Longbin, and Taipei County Mayor Zhou Xiwei.
Please read on...
Zhang Zhihao mentioned that by March 2012, Keelung had installed 16 clean needle vending machines and needle recycling boxes in pharmacies and health clinics. The purpose was to prevent drug addicts from sharing needles because they could not get clean needles and contracting HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. At the same time, drug addicts were contacted through pharmacies and health centers to refer them to addiction treatment.
Zhang Zhihao emphasized that the provision of needles does not mean that the government thinks that drug use is okay. It means that the government knows that "this person may still take drugs tonight." Instead of letting him share a needle with others and become infected with HIV, he should first get a clean needle; at the same time, he should contact him, educate him, and take him into addiction treatment. Zhang said: "The real issue in drug policy is not 'Do you approve of drug abuse?'. Who among normal people approves of drug abuse? The real issue is, if a person is addicted to drugs, what will the government do to him?"
Zhang Zhihao mentioned that he fully supports arresting drug dealers, drug manufacturers, and smugglers. However, in addition to arresting, locking up, and excluding addicts, should the government find ways to contact them, reduce the risk of infection, overdose, and crime, and then bring them into medical treatment and treatment step by step? This is "harm reduction."
As for the arguments put forward by Jiang Wanan, Zhang Zhihao believes that Jiang Wanan in 2021 understands this truth, so at that time "Chiang Legislator" asked to improve the accessibility of methadone treatment resources and establish a friendly treatment environment; but by the 2026 election, Mayor Jiang began to use the language of "Do you want drug addicts to take drugs near your home?" to talk about the same group of people.
Zhang Zhihao observed that he could see that Jiang Wanan’s camp now wants to fully utilize the blue-green opposition, taking an article from 12 years ago out of context, cutting off the beginning and the end, and creating panic. However, it is a rare election where public policies that truly affect everyone can be discussed. How to prevent viruses? How to quit drugs? How to reduce infection? How to help addicted people return to normal life? In the end, it was manipulated into black and white political rhetoric. Zhang said frankly: "This may be useful for elections. It is not useful at all for solving the drug problem."
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Drug prevention and control issues will become an important focus of debate in the future Taipei mayoral election
Likely · Within months
Keelung City’s harm reduction policy experience may be cited or questioned by other counties and cities, depending on the election results.
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- Does the KMT have other evidence that its stance on drug prevention is inconsistent with its past?
- What is the relationship between the actual usage rate of clean needle vending machines and the decline in HIV infection rate in Keelung City?
- What are Jiang Wanan’s specific actions to support the accessibility of methadone treatment resources in 2021?
- Does the DPP plan to extend Keelung City’s harm reduction experience to other counties and cities?
