Lai Jui-long unveils cultural policy for Kaohsiung mayoral race

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Lai Jui-long has released a new campaign image video featuring him performing traditional Taiwanese opera. Through this experience, Lai introduced his ‘Cultural Kaohsiung, World Stage’ policy blueprint, which consists of seven major directions and 18 specific plans aimed at transforming the city from a venue-based cultural hub into a producer of cultural content.

The policy focuses on areas such as revitalizing local history, preserving traditional arts like glove puppetry and opera, and developing industries including film, music, animation, and gaming. Lai aims to establish a ‘Southern Discourse’ by integrating Kaohsiung’s unique maritime, industrial, and indigenous histories into its cultural identity.

During his announcement, Lai also launched a political attack against Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Ko Chih-en. Lai accused Ko of contributing to the reduction of over 1.3 billion TWD in cultural budgets during legislative sessions, despite Ko’s previous involvement in education and culture committees. Lai argued that stable resources are essential for the sustained development of the cultural industry.