US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4356

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 004356 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/W, INR/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2025 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, TW 
SUBJECT: PRE-ELECTION SCENE SETTER: CHIAYI COUNTY 
 
REF: TAIPEI 4158 
 
Classified By: AIT ACTING DIRECTOR DAVID J. KEEGAN, REASON(S): 1.4(B/D) 
 
1.  (U)  IN CHIAYI COUNTY FACTIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN STRONGER 
THAN PARTIES.  SINCE THE LAST MAGISTERIAL ELECTION IN 2001, 
HOWEVER, THE DPP HAS MADE SUBSTANTIAL INROADS IN THE COUNTY. 
INCUMBENT MAGISTRATE CHEN MING-WEN, FORMER KMT -- NOW DPP 
MEMBER, SUCCEEDED IN THE 2001 ELECTION THROUGH THE PERSONAL 
HELP OF PRESIDENT CHEN.  THE MAGISTRATE, IN FACT, ATTRIBUTES 
HIS 2001 VICTORY TO THE PERSONAL POPULARITY OF PRESIDENT 
CHEN, RATHER THAN TO VOTER SUPPORT FOR THE DPP. 
 
2. (C) THROUGH HIS YEARS IN OFFICE, MAGISTRATE CHEN'S SUPPORT 
HAS CONSOLIDATED AMONG THE DPP.  THE COUNTY DPP OFFICE 
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY WU HSI-LAI SAYS THERE IS NO QUESTION CHEN 
WILL BE RE-ELECTED.  IN GENERAL, THE INCUMBENT MAY NOT BE THE 
PERFECT MAGISTRATE, BUT HIS IMAGE IS CLEAN AND HE HAS 
PROVIDED EXCELLENT SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.  ALTHOUGH THE 
DPP ISLAND-WIDE IS STEEPED IN SCANDALS, THESE ARE OF NO 
CONCERN TO LOCALS, WHO, SAYS WU, ARE SUFFERING FROM A 
DISTINCTLY POOR ECONOMY AND MORE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR 
IMMEDIATE ECONOMIC PROSPECTS. 
 
3.  (C) ACCORDING TO CHEN KUO-YING, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
MEMBER TO THE DPP COUNTY OFFICE, THE MAGISTRATE'S FAILURE TO 
DEVELOP TOURISM IN THE CHIAYI AREA IS NOT NECESSARILY A 
PERSONAL FAILURE, BUT REALLY MORE THE RESULT OF AN 
ISLAND-WIDE ECONOMIC SLUMP AND THE VAST NUMBER OF BUSINESSES 
THAT HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE COUNTY TAKING RESOURCES THAT COULD 
HAVE ASSISTED IN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT.  COUNTY VOTERS, SAYS 
CHEN, WILL NOT HOLD THAT AGAINST THE LOCAL MAGISTRATE AND 
THEY HAVE NO TIME TO WORRY ABOUT DPP SCANDALS. 
 
4.  (C)  BOTH CITY AND COUNTY DPP OFFICIALS CLAIM THERE IS 
SIMPLY NO COMPETITION IN THE CHIAYI COUNTY MAGISTERIAL 
ELECTION.  ACCORDING TO THE DPP, THE KMT CAME OUT WITH A 
CANDIDATE ONLY RECENTLY, WHOM IT HAD TO "DRAFT" INTO SERVICE, 
BECAUSE IT WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYONE TO RUN IN AN ELECTION IT 
COULD NOT HOPE TO WIN. 
 
5.  (C)  AIT/K WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT KMT COUNTY OFFICIALS 
DURING A VISIT TO THE LOCALE.  HOWEVER, KMT OFFICIALS AT THE 
CITY OFFICE WOULDN'T EVEN COMMENT ON THE MAGISTERIAL RACE OR 
THE KMT CANDIDATE CHEN MING-CHENG, IMPLYING THE CHANCES FOR A 
COUNTY WIN WERE SO REMOTE THE MATTER WASN'T WORTH DISCUSSING. 
 IN FACT, WHEN ASKED TO SPECULATE ON KMT CHANCES IN THE 
COUNTY ELECTION, THE KMT CHAIRMAN DESPAIRINGLY PUT HIS FACE 
IN HIS HANDS AND JUST SHOOK HIS HEAD. 
KEEGAN