Taichung Mayor Jason Hu, in female makeup and costume, talks to the press at a promotion event for the performance of the opera Turandot, directed by Zhang Yimou, in this file photo.
The China Post
July 28, 2010
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taichung Mayor Jason Hu said he was surprised to see his name in a list of 10 of the world’s “freshest movers and shakers in urban politics,” which was compiled by the UK magazine Monocle.
In its latest edition, the magazine praised Hu for “his large-scale infrastructure and economic development,” his push to transform Taichung into a city of culture by introducing works by architect Zaha Hadid, and performances by movie director Zhang Yimou and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The magazine also praised him for bringing down the crime rate, in a city “known for crime and prostitution,” by 60 percent since 2001.
The magazine, however, also pointed out the challenge Hu faces to “focus on local politics as supporters push for a presidential bid.”
Hu said that he was surprised to be selected because he had not signed up for evaluation. He also expressed reservations about the magazine’s praise for his achievements on crime. He said that, while foreigners can only learn about Taichung’s public security by reading the figures — which do show a drop in criminal cases — they cannot really appreciate the level of public safety in the city.
Crime rate in Taichung has dropped, but the city still faces a lot of challenges, and the city government will endlessly strive to improve public security, Hu said.
Founded by former editor and founder of the influential fashion magazine “Wallpaper*,” Tyler Brule, in 2007, Monocle is available in over 50 countries. It has become popular among intellectuals in the West, which means Taichung has gain some level of success in its internationalization, Hu said.   more …
