Taipei City Councilor Ching Hui-chu Sparks Controversy Over Campaign Gesture

Veteran Taipei City Councilor Ching Hui-chu has found herself at the center of political controversy within the pan-Blue camp following a series of contentious public appearances and a disputed campaign gesture during local election activities.

The incident unfolded shortly after Ching accompanied Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an on a routine vote-canvassing tour. Following the joint appearance, Ching visited a local dumpling restaurant known as the Ocean Current eatery, where she interacted with business owners and patrons. During the visit, she posed for photographs while making a hand gesture representing the number ‘3’.

This seemingly innocuous gesture quickly sparked intense backlash among supporters of the Kuomintang (KMT). Because the number three is associated with rival political figures, including independent or pan-Green figures such as Puma Shen, the gesture led to immediate accusations from local party hardliners and prompted attention from the KMT’s disciplinary committee.

In response to the mounting criticism, Ching defended her actions by pointing out that ‘3’ also happened to be her own assigned candidate ballot number for the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, fellow party member and legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin stepped forward to defuse the situation, attempting to clarify the context of the visit and reassure the public that accusations of Ching secretly favoring opposing political camps were unfounded.

Sources: Yahoo新聞