Lee Sichuan unveils cultural strategy, issues 150,000 cultural coins to revive idle spaces.

KMT New Taipei mayoral candidate Li Si-chuan held a press conference in New Taipei City on the 26th, unveiling "Three Cultural Strategies" for the first time as one of his core campaign pillars. Having served as a New Taipei City Councilor since 2018, Li has long focused on the development of local cultural resources and the youth creative industry. With this rollout of concrete policies, he aims to highlight the central role of cultural development within his municipal blueprint. Facing the 2026 mayoral race and intense competition from the Democratic Progressive Party candidate, Li is using "culture" as a differentiating selling point, emphasizing his goal to make New Taipei the most creatively vibrant city in Taiwan.

The first policy is the annual issuance of 150,000 "New Taipei Cultural Coins," each valued at NT$600. Holders can use them to offset costs when attending art exhibitions, workshops, or purchasing cultural goods within the city. This initiative is similar to Taipei City's past "Arts and Culture Voucher" pilot program, designed to financially stimulate public participation in arts and cultural activities while creating stable revenue for local artists and small venues. If fully redeemed, the annual budget would be approximately NT$90 million. The city government stated that costs would be shared through cultural funds and corporate sponsorships to ensure fiscal sustainability.

The second strategy involves organizing the "New Taipei International Arts Festival," planned to annually invite performing arts groups, visual artists, and domestic creators from Asia and Europe to perform alongside local creators. It will also incorporate urban public spaces such as parks, plazas, and community centers for outdoor exhibitions and performances. Having previously hosted the "New Taipei Lantern Festival" and the "New Taipei Music Festival," which accumulated rich event-hosting experience, Li hopes to leverage the international arts festival to boost the city's visibility, attract tourism and investment, and provide local arts teams with opportunities to connect with the international stage.

The third strategy focuses on taking inventory and revitalizing idle or underutilized