Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai has spoken publicly about what he has learned over six years running the city, offering encouragement to Democratic Progressive Party candidates in the year-end local elections — a positive signal for the party's electoral prospects.

• Chen said there is no particular trick to governing; the most important thing is not to avoid problems when they arise, because otherwise they will never be solved.
• He compared the mayor to the head of a household: only by facing problems honestly and explaining clearly how they will be resolved can one earn residents' trust.
• Shen Po-yang, the DPP's candidate for Taipei mayor, and Su Chiao-hui, its candidate for New Taipei mayor, attended the same event, effectively taking up the baton and drawing on his experience in office.
• Chen begins his campaign-support schedule tomorrow, with New Taipei and Su Chiao-hui as the first stop, followed by Penghu and other counties and cities.
• Asked about outside speculation that he will be promoted after leaving office, he replied only that he would "do the job well and serve out the full term," declining to discuss plans further ahead.

Outlook: Ahead of the year-end local elections, Chen is expected to be an important asset for the DPP's campaign efforts across Taiwan, while his own next step will not become clear until after the vote.