Chen Ying leads delegation to South Korea, securing frozen pineapple custard apple popsicle export deal.

As the countdown to the Taitung County Magistrate election enters a white-hot phase, the local deployments, offensives, and defensives of the blue, green, and white camps are fully underway. Recently, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taitung County Magistrate candidate Chen Ying chose to step away from traditional verbal spats and campaign rallies, personally leading representatives from multiple Taitung farmers' associations and local agricultural businesses to Seoul, South Korea, to actively expand international export markets. The most anticipated major breakthrough of this trip was witnessing the official signing of a significant commercial cooperation project to successfully process Taitung's signature agricultural specialty, the pineapple custard apple, into popsicles. This not only symbolizes the concrete results of actively seeking overseas diversified channels and deep-processing transformation as Taitung's agricultural products face export blockages, but also highlights Chen Ying's camp's attempt to connect with farmers through pragmatic economic cards and win the substantive recognition of local farmers' association systems and grassroots farmers.

Pineapple custard apples have long been one of Taitung's most vital economic crops. In the past, they relied heavily on a single export market, but in recent years they have faced severe trade challenges and quarantine pressures. Finding a lifeline for unsalable or overproduced fruit has become an inescapable major issue for successive local leaders and candidates. By leading the business expansion trip to South Korea, Chen Ying directly targeted the agricultural processing and export sectors, which serve as key indicators of people's livelihood and the economy. By developing the pineapple custard apple into innovative products such as popsicles—deeply favored by younger generations and foreign tourists—she has successfully opened up a brand-new consumer market. This transnational signing not only injects a shot of confidence into Taitung's farmers, but also demonstrates to voters the candidate's executive capability in practically resolving the structural problems of the local industry, attempting to build a professional image centered on boosting the economy in Taitung, where agricultural votes hold a pivotal position.

On the other hand, Kuomintang (KMT) Taitung County Magistrate candidate Wu Hsiu-hua has been intensively rolling out ground force integrations and campaign events. Wu Hsiu-hua's camp recently announced that her campaign headquarters opening rally will be grandly held on October 4. This will not only be her largest-scale campaign mobilization since entering the race, but will also feature heavy-hitting political figure and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) founding Chairman Ko Wen-je traveling south to Taitung to endorse and boost momentum. This cross-party joint appearance is particularly eye-catching amid the current complex and volatile electoral landscape, revealing the trajectory of cooperation and consensus-seeking among the non-green camp in local elections. Through a campaign model where "mother hens lead chicks," the camp attempts to consolidate local blue-and-white supporting forces and project a powerful momentum toward a united victory.

Ko Wen-je's cross-sea trip to Taitung to endorse Wu Hsiu-hua holds considerable symbolic significance for the shifting political landscape in Taitung. In local elections, the voter structure is often driven by multiple pulls of clan ties, personal networks, and party identification. Although the TPP's grassroots organization in the eastern region is still under construction, Ko Wen-je's nationwide profile and appeal to younger demographics can still bring unusual chemical reactions to the traditional pan-blue campaign. By inviting Ko Wen-je to endorse her, Wu Hsiu-hua not only demonstrates her political maneuvering skills in building broad connections, but also attempts to break through the echo chamber limitations of a single party, striving to win over more independent voters and younger generations dissatisfied with the status quo, thereby further consolidating and expanding her lead in the Taitung County Magistrate race.

Looking at the Taitung County Magistrate race as a whole, Chen Ying has adopted a soft tactic focusing on industrial economics and substantive exports, attempting to win over farmers' hearts through agricultural upgrades. Meanwhile, Wu Hsiu-hua has combined traditional local organizational strength with the backing of cross-party political heavyweight Ko Wen-je to reinforce the pan-blue camp's unity and momentum for innovation and change. The two main candidates have displayed completely different campaign strategies and rhythms, making this East Taiwan mayoral battle full of highlights. As the campaign enters its crucial sprint period, whether it is the overseas deployment results of agricultural specialties or the political momentum driven by large-scale rallies, both will become critical variables influencing voters' voting intentions. Ultimately, whoever can deliver a vision and substantive policies that best meet the expectations of the people of Taitung will determine who successfully secures local governance.