The race for Taipei mayor has begun early, with Democratic Progressive Party candidate Shen Po-yang taking the initiative to seek advice from senior figures in the Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party camps, while incumbent mayor Chiang Wan-an has responded in a conciliatory tone, avoiding direct confrontation for now.

• Shen Po-yang plans to pay calls on former Taipei mayors regardless of party affiliation, and will travel south within the month to visit Chen Shui-bian; visits to Ma Ying-jeou and Ko Wen-je have not been ruled out.
• The plan follows advice from former Executive Yuan minister without portfolio Chang Ching-sen, who urged him to step outside his own echo chamber.
• Chiang Wan-an did not hit back directly, saying only that he was grateful to every former mayor for their contributions to Taipei.
• The gap in the two men's online presence has become a talking point: Shen Po-yang's social media following far exceeds Chiang Wan-an's, prompting suggestions that he had bought accounts, which he denied, attributing the rise to a change in his comment rules.

Outlook: If the visits go ahead, how the KMT and TPP respond will be the next point to watch in the Taipei mayoral race.