Taipei City Government

At the invitation of Tainan City Mayor Lai Ching-te, Mayor Ko Wen-je graced a book launch event to promote the title penned by his counterpart on February 6. The publication is based on Lai’s experience in city administration.

Having penned a prologue for the book, Ko noted that he has read the work thoroughly, coming to the conclusion that “Diligence is all that matters.”

Citing Tainan City Government’s precision in determining whether to cancel work and classes when typhoons land, Ko remarked that the rationale of the decision lies not in luck, but in the administration’s industriousness and quickness. He joked that Taipei may have to adjust the time it makes such announcement to make better calls – maybe even to the wee hours on the affected day.

Both hailing from the field of medicine, Ko reckoned that he will seek the advice of Lai on how to switch from a surgeon’s mindset to that of a mayor’s. He added that he still has a lot to learn, such as being more prudent on word choices when speaking to the media.

Asked if his prologue will help boost the sales of the new book, Ko humorously replied that the incentive for him was nothing more than the opportunity to read a book for free. The administrative experience shared by the author, however, will serve as a source of reference for the capital, Ko noted.