The Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan announced Wednesday that legislator Puma Shen will represent them in the upcoming Taipei mayoral race, despite Beijing having imposed sanctions on him for activities China labels as promoting “separatism.”
The November elections for mayors and county leaders across Taiwan will serve as an important indicator of political sentiment before the island’s next presidential election scheduled for early 2028. China considers Taiwan part of its territory.
Shen faces an uphill battle against incumbent Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an from the opposition Kuomintang party, as polling data suggests Chiang maintains strong support for reelection.
During a press conference introducing Shen, President Lai Ching-te, who also leads the DPP, praised the candidate as “first rate talent” with deep appreciation for Taiwan’s democratic transformation from authoritarian governance.
“He also understands that the greatest threat to democracy and human rights still comes from China, and so he has actively engaged in efforts to counter cognitive warfare and disinformation, building Taiwan’s social defence resilience,” Lai added.
Beijing imposed sanctions on Shen in 2024, targeting both him and the Kuma Academy he helped establish. This organization conducts civilian defense training to help residents prepare for potential military action from China.
The sanctions prevent Shen from entering China and block the academy from conducting operations there, though these restrictions carry minimal real-world impact since DPP leadership rarely visits China and would be prohibited from running such programs regardless.
Taiwan’s government, led by the DPP, maintains that Beijing lacks legal authority over the island and insists that only Taiwan’s citizens can determine their political future.
Shen earned his doctorate in criminology and law from the University of California, Irvine. Both he and Chiang speak fluent English and frequently interact with international visitors.
The DPP has achieved victory in Taipei’s mayoral race just once, when Chen Shui-bian governed the city from 1994 to 1998 before becoming Taiwan’s first DPP president.
In the 2022 local elections, the DPP secured control of five cities and counties compared to the KMT’s 14 victories.
