KMT Chairman Eric Chu says he will keep his position as mayor of New Taipei City while running for president. He was speaking Monday at a city administration meeting.
Chu says he will take three months off, starting on Tuesday. Deputy Mayor Hou You-yi will fill in as acting mayor while Chu is focusing on the campaign.
The mayor apologized to the citizens of New Taipei, saying that he will keep up-to-date, via phone, instant messaging and the Internet.
Chu also spoke about why he went back on a promise not to enter the race.
“Perhaps some will criticize us, saying that we lack the determination or the ability to make difficult decisions," said Chu, "but I think that running for public office while maintaining your [current] position has long been a common practice both in Taiwan and abroad. I believe that as long as our team does a good job, we can maintain operations at the city government and keep working for the people of our city.
Chu said that although he made it clear several times that he would not enter the race, he had to make a “painful” decision at a critical juncture. He said the public needs another choice, since the election is crucial to Taiwan’s future democratic development.