The Kuomintang's Ko Chih-en has formally registered as a candidate for mayor of Kaohsiung, framing the race as an effort to end the Democratic Progressive Party's long-running hold on the city — a morale battle for KMT supporters and a source of pressure for the governing DPP.

• Ko was driven to Fengshan by her husband, Hung Te-cheng, on a scooter to complete the registration, and former Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng brought KMT elected officials along to show support.
• She described the more than 500,000 votes she received in her losing bid four years ago as "honourable in defeat," saying this time the goal is to win the mayoralty and sweep the council seats.
• Her main policy platform centres on education and culture, arguing that Kaohsiung cannot rely on the technology industry and landmark buildings alone.
• She singled out the opposing camp for "passing the baton" from one figure to the next while only replicating long-standing problems such as flooding, sinkholes and collapsing retaining walls.
• At the registration site she put on boxing gloves and smashed a placard symbolising the New Tide faction, in a highly charged display.

Outlook: Kaohsiung's mayoral election will be held on 28 November, and the back-and-forth in the blue-green showdown is set to grow increasingly fierce.