The Taipei mayoral race has entered a stage of direct confrontation — good news for voters who want to see the candidates genuinely go head to head.

• Chiang Wan-an has already checked the box to take part in a publicly organized debate, and Puma Shen is insisting that the format be a real debate.
• Shen has put forward three principles: the two candidates question each other, follow-up questions are allowed, and members of the public can also ask questions.
• He criticized the current city government as being like a mirror, saying that when asked a question it only strikes back, and that it has even portrayed residents who raise questions as stirring up hatred.
• Taipei city officials claimed that the K-12 Education Administration was investigating the overseas-Chinese student status of Chiang Wan-an's eldest son, a claim the agency denied; Shen criticized this as using false information to push a child to the front line.
• Shen has continued canvassing on the streets for votes, stressing that he is seeking support regardless of party colors and that the focus should be on city governance and the avoidance of conflicts of interest.

Outlook: how the debate is arranged, and whether the candidates will be able to cross-question each other, will be the main point of contention in the campaign ahead.