By Chris Wang / Staff Reporter
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was upbeat yesterday about her presidential campaign as she returned from a two-day visit to Penghu, saying that she was optimistic about her support on the outlying islands.
The visit generated the strongest support that she has seen for the DPP during her visits to outlying islands over the past three years, Tsai said, adding that “we believe we will do well here [in the presidential election].”
The presidential hopeful opened her campaign headquarters in Penghu on Monday and visited local communities and fish markets yesterday.
Tsai told supporters that if she were elected president in January, she would improve the medical and transportation infrastructure in Penghu, where more than 13,000 patients have to go to Taiwan proper to get proper medical attention because of a lack of resources.
Her administration would also be committed to protecting the county’s vital fishing industry through stricter coast guard enforcement to prevent Chinese fishing boats from entering Penghu’s fishing grounds.
Developing the local economy would be crucial, Tsai said, which would create more job opportunities and increase revenues, helping to curb population outflow.
Tsai said economic development could be attained by promoting green energy industries, such as solar and wind power, by taking advantage of Penghu’s abundant sunlight and wind.
Tsai’s campaign office said it aims to narrow the gap in support between the DPP and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in Penghu, which has about 44,000 eligible voters, because every vote counts in a close election.
The DPP ran neck and neck with the KMT during former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) re-election campaign in 2004, garnering 1 percent less of the vote — 49.5 percent against 50.5 percent — than the KMT, but it saw the gap increase to 15.8 percent in 2008, when President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) won by a landslide.