Taiwan's opposition pact between the KMT and the Taiwan People's Party has broken down in Hsinchu County, a setback for both parties heading into local elections.

• The TPP says legislator Hsu Hsin-ying broke a promise, killing the joint deal in Zhubei.
• TPP chairman Huang Kuo-chang wants the fallout kept to Hsinchu County and out of other races.
• Campaigning in Yilan, he insisted TPP backing for its candidate there, former prosecutor Wu Tsung-hsien, is unchanged.
• He also pushed support for TPP county council candidates, aiming to get a third force into Yilan's local assembly.

Outlook: Expect more friction between the two opposition parties as candidate registration deadlines approach, with each blaming the other for broken deals.