He Xin-chun campaign faces scrutiny over rally meal costs

Taichung mayoral candidate He Xin-chun is facing scrutiny over the cost of meal boxes distributed during a recent campaign event for her supporters in Dali and Wufeng. Jiang He-shu, a Taichung City Councilor from the Taiwan People's Party, alleged that the meals—which contained fried noodles, sausage, a braised egg, and tofu—clearly exceeded the NT$30 limit for campaign refreshments.

Media commentator Fan Qi-ming used AI to estimate the market value of the meal components, suggesting a total price between NT$85 and NT$115 based on local Taichung prices.

In response, He Xin-chun's campaign headquarters spokesperson, Lin Jun-yu, stated that all activities are conducted in accordance with the law. He noted that legal guidelines from the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors Office allow for the provision of moderate tea and simple refreshments during campaign rallies, provided they do not exceed social norms, and characterized the accusations as an attempt to stigmatize normal campaign activities.