New Taipei mayoral candidate Su Chiao-hui pushed back at criticism that her proposed urban renewal bureau is an empty gesture, saying the plan came out of talks with experts and residents.

• Su, a DPP legislator running for New Taipei mayor, wants a dedicated bureau to speed up urban redevelopment.
• A KMT city council candidate, Teng Kai-hsun, called it a nameplate change that would not fix anything.
• Su said the idea came from months of talks with academics, developers, and people living in the affected areas.
• She argues both Taipei and New Taipei lack the capacity to handle redevelopment demand, and says council members from rival parties back the plan.

Outlook: Expect urban renewal to stay a central fight in the New Taipei mayoral race as both camps test the idea with voters.