Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an has formally kicked off his re-election campaign, giving the Kuomintang's prospects in Taipei a shot in the arm.

• After completing his candidacy registration, Chiang Wan-an chose Wenshan District to set up his first support group, marking the opening move of his campaign.
• This was his first rally since entering the local elections, with several KMT Taipei city councillors and the city party chapter's chairman on hand to show support.
• He listed the groundbreaking of the MRT's southern loop section, the "eight arrows" urban renewal programme, the increased senior citizen card subsidy, and Nvidia's decision to locate its headquarters in Taipei as the main achievements of his term.
• He declared that he wants not only to win re-election himself but also to help KMT councillors and borough chiefs win alongside him.
• With less than 90 days of campaigning ahead, he predicted there would be attacks and smears, stressing that unity would see them through.

Outlook: With less than three months left in the countdown, Chiang Wan-an is expected to make his municipal record the central theme of his campaign and to keep opening additional support groups across the city's districts to drum up votes.