Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen appeared in Nantou holding County Magistrate Hsu Shu-hua's hand in public and said that the Kuomintang "can't do without her" if it is to return to power in 2028 — a boost to Hsu's political standing.

• The two appeared together at the Central Taiwan agricultural marketing and sales fair in Nantou's Caotun, in a deliberately close setting.
• Asked about the 2028 election, Lu named Hsu alongside Han Kuo-yu and Chiang Wan-an as indispensable figures.
• She also drew on the helium balloon at the venue as a metaphor, wishing Hsu a "rise step by step" — in effect hinting at a higher post.
• The fair brings together farm produce from eight counties and cities in central Taiwan, running from August 22 to August 30, and also serves as a stage for cooperation among the Blue camp's local governments.

Outlook: Public statements of this kind will be read as an opening skirmish in the Blue camp's personnel arrangements for 2028, and Hsu Shu-hua's next move will draw continued attention.