TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taiwan People’s Party on Wednesday named Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) as its candidate for mayor of New Taipei.

The nomination came despite predictions of cooperation in the city between the TPP and the Kuomintang. The larger opposition party has not yet picked a candidate, though the name of Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) is frequently mentioned.

After his nomination, Huang said all forms of healthy competition were expressions of democracy, per CNA. Each candidate needed to prove he was the best for the job and the choice of the people, he said.

Lee denied reports that he would resign as deputy mayor before the Feb. 14-22 Lunar New Year holiday to launch his campaign, per UDN. The KMT politician emphasized that his priority was to complete the deal between Taipei and Nvidia to have the company set up its Taiwan headquarters in the capital.

Inside the KMT, New Taipei Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-jan (劉和然) has also expressed an ambition to run for mayor. The opposition party will reportedly not organize primaries, but will try to reach a consensus about the choice of candidate.

In contrast, the Democratic Progressive Party has already chosen Legislator Su Chiao-hui (蘇巧慧), the daughter of former Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), as its candidate for mayor of New Taipei. She presented her social policy goals Wednesday, the Liberty Times reported.