Taiwan's government is pushing back on opposition claims that its premier skipped storm duty to campaign, a fight that keeps the ruling party on the defensive ahead of local elections.

• The KMT accused Premier Cho Jung-tai of stumping for a DPP Taipei mayoral candidate while a typhoon hit.
• The Cabinet says Cho attended a primary-care doctors' association banquet on the group's own invitation, not a campaign stop.
• Lawmakers questioned why Cho said budget cuts left him only able to phone local officials about storm damage.
• Cho used the speech to tout next year's plan to put NT$60 billion into national health insurance and NT$10 billion into a health program.

Outlook: Expect the opposition to keep hammering the government's storm response as campaign season heats up.