Chiang Chi-chen unveils five indigenous policies for Taichung

Kuomintang mayoral candidate Chiang Chi-chen has unveiled five key policies aimed at supporting indigenous populations in Taichung. During a visit to the Huan-shan tribe in Heping District, Chiang emphasized that indigenous welfare must extend beyond traditional tribal lands, noting that while there are over 43,000 indigenous residents in Taichung, only about 10 percent reside in the Heping District.

The proposed five-point plan includes:

1. Upgrading vocational training to enhance employment competitiveness. 2. Providing micro-insurance for indigenous residents aged 15 to 64, fully funded by the city government. 3. Deploying mobile long-term care vehicles to provide medical services to elderly residents in remote areas. 4. Incentivizing the establishment of indigenous community centers outside traditional tribal areas to support youth entrepreneurship and cultural exchange. 5. Creating a digital repository for indigenous languages and rituals to preserve culture through technology.

Additionally, Chiang addressed infrastructure and agricultural concerns, mentioning the planned reconstruction of the Central Cross-Island Highway and the development of the Dongfeng Expressway. To support local agriculture, he proposed an ‘AI Empowerment Academy’ and a dedicated mobile app to help farmers identify pests. He also suggested promoting tourism through hiking trails and a ‘Shan-He-Gu’ music festival to connect Lishan, Heping, and Guguan.