The Democratic Progressive Party held a mobile Central Standing Committee meeting in Changhua to rally support for county magistrate candidate Chen Su-yueh, a boost to her local campaign — but the challenges she faces are Changhua's long-standing problems of an ageing population and outward migration.

• Chen Su-yueh summed up Changhua's difficulties in three points: an ageing population, low wages, and young people moving away.
• Her care-related policy pledges include continuing long-term care services, increasing childcare subsidies, setting up public infant care centres across the county, and free National Health Insurance for residents aged 65 and over.
• On industry, she plans to establish a single-window service to help traditional industries transform and upgrade, while attracting major technology firms to set up operations locally in order to raise wages and expand job opportunities.
• On infrastructure, her focus is on elevating the railway line, extending mass rapid transit, and bilingual education, along with promoting tourism through Changhua's history and culture and its floriculture industry.
• Party Chairman Lai Ching-te, Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung and several legislators attended, amounting to a clear signal of central-level backing for the local campaign.

Outlook: As the local government elections approach, the DPP is expected to continue packaging central government resources and policy commitments as the central plank of its platform in Changhua.