TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Residents in Kaohsiung (高雄) have expressed satisfaction with Mayor Chen Chi-mai's (陳其邁) administration as his second term approaches its midpoint. Six in ten residents approve of his governance, with the highest support coming from the 20-29 age group, according to a survey released on Thursday (Dec. 12). Also, the TVBS Polling Center survey shows that 42% of respondents backed his potential bid for the 2028 presidential election. Meanwhile, 37% opposed his presidential candidacy, and 21% remained undecided.
The poll reveals that 68% of young adults aged 20-29 expressed satisfaction with Chen's performance, marking the highest approval among all age groups. The survey, conducted from Dec. 3-7, involved 912 valid responses from 1,039 contacted citizens aged 20 and above. Data analysis indicates a 1% increase in the "happiness index" to 66% compared to last year, and a 16% rise since Chen's initial tenure in 2018. However, pride in living in Kaohsiung dropped from 69% to 62% over the past year.
Chen expressed gratitude for the public's trust, stating his commitment to continue his efforts. Over the past year, Kaohsiung focused on industrial upgrades, green energy transformation, and urban development, with visible results such as the development of the Asia New Bay Area, the advancement of intelligent transportation systems, and the improvement of infrastructure. Chen, who secured the mayoral position in a 2020 by-election after former Mayor Han Kuo-yu's (韓國瑜) recall, successfully defeated KMT's Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) in 2022 for re-election.
