Taipei: The Kuomintang (KMT) Central Standing Committee on Wednesday nominated Jian Township head Yu Shu-chen as its election candidate for Hualien County magistrate, lawmaker Chen Yu-jen for Kinmen County magistrate, and lawmaker Chang Chia-chun for Yunlin County magistrate.

According to Focus Taiwan, KMT Chairperson Cheng Li-wun stated that the three nominees are considered the "most outstanding, most qualified female power representatives" within the party. Cheng emphasized that the KMT has achieved strong results in the counties and cities it governs, attributing these successes to the party's female leadership.

In the context of Hualien, Yu's nomination comes amid indications from several other party figures who plan to run for Hualien County magistrate, including Hualien County Council speaker Chang Chun. The party selected Yu based on an internal poll, although Ho Chi-sheng and Yeh Yao-hui, who were also seeking the nomination, have criticized the process as unfair. Yeh has even filed a lawsuit regarding the issue and expressed that Yu's nomination will not deter his determination to run. He intends to commission a polling company in May to conduct comparative polling with Yu, aiming to provide the party leadership with a basis for potentially revising the nominee.

Additionally, independent Hualien County councilor Wei Chia-hsien has announced his candidacy for Hualien County magistrate following the Lunar New Year. The KMT completed its first round of nominations in December of the previous year for local elections scheduled to take place on November 28. These nominations included lawmaker Hsieh Lung-chieh for mayor of Tainan, lawmaker Ko Chih-en for mayor of Kaohsiung, lawmaker Su Ching-chuan for Pingtung County magistrate, and Taitung County Council speaker Wu Hsiu-hua for Taitung County magistrate.