Free Lectures" From Youyi Village to Yansan Night Market: Will Jiang City Government refuse to vote when encountering "people who are not of my race"?

Sweeping streets during elections should be the most direct way for politicians to enter the market and listen to the concerns of the people. However, in the night market streets of Taipei, the most prosperous city, interesting "political micro-expressions" were staged one after another.

A few days ago, when Kuomintang legislator Wang Hongwei and Taipei mayor Chiang Wanan, who was seeking re-election, were sweeping the streets to vote for votes in Yansan Night Market, they passed by a sweet soup stall displaying DPP candidate Shen Boyang's "Ocean Current" promotional materials and streamers. The staff at the scene and Wang Hongwei immediately shouted "Everyone, move forward," and the team immediately looked away and quickly passed by. In contrast to the recent controversy at the "Yuyicun" dumpling shop in the Liaoning Night Market in Zhongshan District due to its political stance, which attracted a large number of campaigners to gather and chant slogans, causing dissatisfaction among the shop owners and their families and even taking a public holiday, this time "squeaking on the brakes and passing by" was interpreted by some people as "learning a lesson." But from the perspective of a municipal leader, is this a shrewd approach to crisis management or a narrow-minded self-limitation?

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Taipei Mayor Chiang Wanan recently went to Yansan Night Market to pray for votes. When he passed by a stall with a "Ocean Current" flag (left), Wang Hongwei and his staff (right) immediately said, "Everyone, go forward," and passed by. (File photo)

Elections are about seeking consensus, not "dividing" citizens based on their colours.

The night market is the epitome of the common people's economy, and it is also a gathering place for diverse voices. Hanging or placing propaganda materials in support of specific political figures in stores and stalls is the freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution, and it is also the norm in Taiwan's mature civil society. As the current mayor of Taipei, Chiang Wanan is not only a "candidate" in the election, but also the "parent" of all Taipei citizens. The mayor's job is to serve the residents of the entire city, and no matter who they vote for, they are the first to pay taxes and work hard to live here.

In mature democratic politics, when a candidate encounters a shop owner who supports his opponent, a common practice is to show his magnanimity and step forward to say hello: "Business is booming, sorry to bother you!" This is not only a sign of respect for grassroots workers, but also the best example of resolving confrontations and showing an inclusive pattern to voters in the middle. On the contrary, when they see propaganda with different political stances, the staff will feel like they are facing a formidable enemy, and the legislators will urgently shout "move forward", and even regard them as untouchable "political minefields". Instead, they will invisibly send an extremely extreme signal to society - "If they are not my supporters, I will turn a blind eye."

Jiang Wanan's identity is not only a "candidate" in the election, but also the "parent" of Taipei citizens. When calling for votes, skipping businesses that support his opponent is obviously over-cutting. (File photo)

Blind spots in crisis management: from "excessive intrusion" to "blatant indifference"

Looking back at the controversy over the Liaoning Night Market, the essence of the problem lies in the campaign team’s sense of spatial intrusion and oppression towards shops with different opinions, and its lack of at least empathy for citizens’ lives and business order. However, Yansan Night Market’s response went to the other extreme – twisting “respect and moderation” into “indifference and rejection.”

This exposes the mechanistic and defensive mentality of the current campaign team when facing grassroots public opinion. Public relations operations can accurately calculate every precession line and camera angle, but what citizens see is whether politicians can show basic sincerity and warmth without stratospheric escort. How can a team that doesn't even have the courage to walk into a sweet soup stall with its opponent's ribbon hanging on it and say "good job" with a smile in the future be able to integrate diverse and diverse municipal issues and listen to the criticisms of citizens from different spectrums?

The controversy over the stores in Liaoning Night Market "Yuyi Village" lies in the campaign team's sense of spatial intrusion and oppression towards stores with different opinions, and lack of basic empathy for citizens' lives and business order. (Extracted from Threads)

Taipei City doesn’t need a leader who “turns when the ocean current hits”

The originally warm bowl of sweet soup at Yansan Night Market instantly condensed into a Chu-He-Han boundary in front of the political camera. This small street-sweeping episode just reflects the core proposition of the capital's mayoral election: Are we going to elect a political actuary who is highly protected by his staff and walks quickly when he encounters people who are not of his own race, or a city leader who can embrace all rivers and face the test of all citizens calmly?

"Everyone, move forward" may have maintained the current safe betting and campaign rhythm, but while walking quickly past the stall, it also quietly lost its broad-mindedness and height of tolerance for the entire city.

(The author is the chairman of the China International Public Affairs Participation Association and the chairman of the Taiwan International Cultural and Educational Philanthropy Association)