Televised Taipei mayoral debate scheduled for October 31

The first televised debate for the 2026 Taipei mayoral election between KMT candidate Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and DPP candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋) has been confirmed for noon, October 31. 

Taipei’s current Mayor Chiang is running for reelection against Puma Shen, who currently sits as a legislator. The campaigns have so far been fraught with personal attacks, spying allegations, and high drama. However, both candidates were cordial, speaking about the upcoming debate, signaling they would be open to more than one, and discussing their preparations for the event.

In a radio interview on Friday, Chiang said he plans to cover all that he’s achieved in his 4-year tenure and give a concrete blueprint for what he envisions the future of Taipei City to look like in the next one to two decades. He also said he’s open to additional debates in the future, pending arrangement. 

“We’ll wait for invitations from relevant organizers and media outlets, and coordinate with them on the details. This includes TVBS and SET TV, who organized the first debate, regarding timing, format, and so on – which all require negotiation. We’re open to the possibility [of another debate], and can work with any media outlets willing to host it.” Chiang said.

Meanwhile, Shen stated that he is working on speaking concisely to explain his positions, as someone who typically talks for a long time. He said, “After discussing what to prepare for the debate, I realized that I sometimes speak for a long time. However, since each debate turn only lasts two to three minutes, I need to practice wrapping up my points in two or three minutes. I also need to practice shortening my sentences a bit so I don’t run out of time. That’s probably the most important thing.”

He also mentioned that he doesn’t believe this practice will interfere with his campaign schedule, and he will continue with events as planned.