Shen Po-yang and Chiang Wan-an Exchange Handshake but Clash Over Flood Management Policies

At a bamboo shoot festival held in Muzha tonight, Taipei Mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang and incumbent Mayor Chiang Wan-an met briefly, exchanging a handshake without further conversation. The encounter highlighted ongoing political tensions regarding recent flooding in the Neihu District.

Mayor Chiang reiterated the administration’s stance, stating that the recent flooding was caused by localized heavy rainfall that exceeded the city's drainage capacity. He noted that the Hydraulic Engineering Office’s drainage systems functioned as designed once the rainfall intensity subsided. In response to Shen’s calls for better AI-based early warning systems, Chiang emphasized that his administration already utilizes such technology and urged critics to base their arguments on objective facts.

Shen, in a subsequent interview, addressed the flood response, questioning the consistency of the city's rainfall capacity standards and raising concerns about potential backflow in drainage systems. He argued that residents are less interested in the administration’s self-assessment and more concerned with identifying the root causes of the flooding and securing effective compensation for property damage. Shen urged the city government to demonstrate greater empathy by streamlining the subsidy process and providing guidance on post-flood sanitation.

Both parties highlighted the need for improved municipal governance, with the flooding issue remaining a central point of contention in the lead-up to the upcoming election.