'Land battles' hot up in last weekend before Taiwan polls

In-person campaigning takes centre stage after online air battles’

- Ho Ai

Taiwan’s politicians are training their firepower on “land battles”, or in-person campaigning, as this is the last weekend ahead of the Jan 13 legislative and presidential elections.

At the weekend, politicians of the major parties fanned out across the island to canvass for votes, in a shift from the online campaigns – called “air battles” – they had been waging to woo the young electorate.

On Jan 6, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and opposition Kuomintang (KMT) rolled out their big guns at rallies in New Taipei and Taoyuan cities.

At a rally in New Taipei City, DPP heavyweights – Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai and former premier Su Tseng-chang – energised the crowd before DPP vice-presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim and presidential candidate Lai Ching-te made their appearances to loud cheers.

Supporters waving green and pink flags, some of whom were transported by bus to the rally held at a park in Xinzhuang district, New Taipei City, greeted Mr Lai with “Zong tong hao”, meaning “Hello, President”.

Singers earlier warmed up the 30,000-strong crowd with evergreen songs like Passionate Desert, while vendors hawked items such as green baseball-style jackets like those worn by the DPP leaders, and stickers and keychains bearing the caricatures of Mr Lai and Ms Hsiao.

At the rally, a retiree in her 60s, who gave her name only as Ms Chiang, told The Straits Times that she is supporting Mr Lai and Ms Hsiao as they love Taiwan.