With Taiwan's year-end local elections drawing near, the governing Democratic Progressive Party is stepping up its efforts in the two major battlegrounds of Taipei and New Taipei, putting pressure on the opposition Kuomintang.

• DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen and New Taipei mayoral candidate Su Chiao-hui have set the tone with a "prosperity for both Taipei and New Taipei" theme, running their own campaigns separately while joining forces on suitable issues.
• Both began their careers as lawyers, and recently co-hosted a Taipei–New Taipei lawyers' support group event, where more than 300 lawyers turned out to back them.
• Su Chiao-hui's campaign headquarters will open on September 5, the first such opening for the DPP nationwide, with both Lai Ching-te and Tsai Ing-wen due to appear on stage.
• Puma Shen is promoting an open-style campaign headquarters and plans to bring candidates from other cities and counties onto the same stage, broadening the joint defence.
• The green camp has taken note of the window created by New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih's continued reluctance to campaign vigorously for Li Si-chuan, and is using the opening to ramp up pressure in online visibility.

Outlook: September's rallies and party anniversary events will be key to the DPP building momentum, while whether the blue camp can pull together, and when Hou Yu-ih will make his move, are the next points to watch.