Taiwan's 2026 Taipei mayoral race is heating up, with former president Tsai Ing-wen throwing her weight behind the DPP's candidate — a boost for the party in a city it rarely wins.

• Puma Shen registered his candidacy for Taipei mayor with 25 city council hopefuls alongside him.
• Tsai Ing-wen joined him and handed over a ship's wheel, saying running a city is like steering a boat that must turn before it hits the rocks.
• Shen's background is national security research, and the pitch is that he spots risks early — on traffic, housing, jobs, child safety and elderly care.
• The framing leans on Taipei as the capital and Taiwan's richest city, the place the world looks at first.

Outlook: Expect the DPP to keep selling Shen as a forward-planning security expert as the Taipei race builds toward the vote.