Andy Chiu

I couldn’t resist translating Puma Shen’s closing remarks from the Taipei mayoral debate and adding English subtitles. They moved me deeply. As an American citizen who escaped the CCP’s authoritarian rule as an adult, I’ve watched the free world grow increasingly divided, its politics ever more bitter and stripped of dignity. Yet here I am, fortunate enough to call Taipei home. As a foreign observer of this election, I’ve been repeatedly moved by Puma and his team. But these closing remarks went far beyond a mayoral debate. They reminded me of what democratic politics can be—and what they should be. At a time when political competition across the free world grows increasingly hostile, what I’ve witnessed in Taipei feels like a breath of fresh air—a reminder that democracy can still be practiced with grace, compassion, and dignity. I wanted the world to hear this speech, especially the words Puma quoted from Taiwanese cultural figure Kevin Tsai: “Don’t worry about which candidate wins. What matters is whether YOU win. When you cast your vote for the way of life you want, you’ve already won.” And I’d like to add something of my own: When a warm current of hope flows through your hometown, reaching beyond its own people to touch the hearts of strangers—when it makes those who have wandered far from home feel they can finally put down roots—then it isn’t just you who have won. Your hometown has won. Your country has won. May this speech carry a little of that warmth to you, wherever you are, and rekindle the light of hope in your eyes. Because isn’t that what politics should be about? #洋流