The race for New Taipei mayor has entered a heated phase. Democratic Progressive Party candidate Su Chiao-hui is closing in on her opponent in the polls, and has chosen to respond in low-key fashion to the controversy over the Blue camp's plan to set up a campaign headquarters.

• Su Chiao-hui campaigned in the early hours of the morning at the Banqiao fruit and vegetable market, canvassing for votes alongside the party's full slate of city council candidates.
• The latest poll shows the Kuomintang's Lee Si-chuan leading Su Chiao-hui by just 2 percentage points, a markedly narrowed gap.
• Lee Si-chuan is reported to be planning to set up a campaign headquarters in September, prompting the Green camp to question whether this contradicts his earlier statement that he would not establish one.
• Su Chiao-hui declined to engage, saying only that setting up a campaign headquarters, fundraising and putting up billboards are all routine parts of an election, and that she respects everyone's own pace.
• Her own campaign headquarters launch ceremony is set for September 5 at the Banqiao First Sports Field.

Outlook: With less than 100 days to go before the nine-in-one local elections and the two sides tight in the polls, the September headquarters launches will be the first head-to-head test of momentum between them.