Photo of Taipei Mayor on Subway Stuns Mainland Chinese

Taipei's new mayor-elect Ko Wen-je, center, waves to supporters at his campaign headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)

Shades of Gary Locke. Once again the simple manners of a democratically elected politician have stunned Internet users in China, leaving them by turns amused and bitter.

In 2011 a photograph of newly appointed Ambassador Gary Locke fetching his own coffee from an airport Starbucks as he prepared to fly to Beijing caused a sensation in China. This time a photo of newly elected Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, alone and standing in a Taipei Metro car, has captured the imagination of China’s Internet users.

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je is seen riding on the Taipei Metro by himself without the accompany of a bodyguard or a subordinate. (Facebook.com/FattyMagic)