Cooperation between the KMT and the TPP has broken down in the Zhubei mayoral election, but the TPP is still backing the KMT's candidate in the Yilan county magistrate race — a neutral-to-positive signal for integration between the two parties.

• TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang said in Yilan that his determination to support Wu Tsung-hsien, the KMT's candidate for Yilan county magistrate, has not wavered.
• With blue-white cooperation collapsing in the Zhubei mayoral election, there is outside concern that the fallout could spread to cooperation in other cities and counties.
• Huang said he had privately messaged Wu to say that if Yilan needs anything, Wu can turn to him for help at any time.
• Both men have legal backgrounds and have a history of working together on judicial system issues, so the relationship is more than just a party alliance.
• Former TPP legislator Huang Shan-shan announced on the same day that she will no longer run for any public office.

Outlook: Blue-white cooperation in Yilan looks likely to hold in the short term, but the collapse in Zhubei could still affect integration talks in other electoral districts.