Taiwan's president is turning a local election into a fight over China, framing it as good for the pro-democracy camp and bad for Beijing's influence campaign.

• President Lai Ching-te campaigned in Yunlin County for DPP candidate and lawmaker Liu Chien-kuo in the race for county magistrate.
• Lai said China sees the year-end local elections as a test of whether its pressure on Taiwan is working.
• He urged voters to back Liu as a way to defend Taiwan's democracy and sovereignty against Beijing.
• Lai credited Liu with bringing a major hospital, a big medical building, and relief from a long-running dust and flooding problem to the county.

Outlook: The year-end local elections will become a proxy battle over Taiwan's stance toward China, with both sides treating the results as a signal.