The race for New Taipei mayor is heating up, and Democratic Progressive Party candidate Su Chiao-hui will hold the inaugural rally for her campaign headquarters on September 5 — a key step in building momentum for party unity behind her.

• The rally will be held at Banqiao First Stadium, with President Lai Ching-te, former President Tsai Ing-wen and Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai all invited to attend.
• It marks a public show of full support for Su Chiao-hui from the DPP at both the national and local levels, with the election on November 28 in view.
• Her opponent, the Kuomintang's Lee Szu-chuan, is close behind and even ahead in some polls, narrowing the race.
• Lee Szu-chuan appeared alongside incumbent Mayor Hou Yu-ih twice within three days, a clear sign of the KMT closing ranks.
• Su Chiao-hui stressed cross-party cooperation and said her interactions with Hou Yu-ih have always been good.

What lies ahead: over the next two months New Taipei will become the main battleground for mobilisation by both the KMT and the DPP, and the gap between them in the polls is likely to remain a tug-of-war.