The race for Kaohsiung mayor is under way, with the two parties' candidates shoring up their support bases separately, and both the KMT and the DPP bringing out heavyweight figures.

• DPP candidate Lai Jui-lung has invited incumbent mayor Chen Chi-mai to serve as chairman of his campaign headquarters, and former president Tsai Ing-wen will also take up a key post.
• Lai Jui-lung is campaigning on continuing Chen Chi-mai's policy achievements, and says Su Tseng-chang, Lai Ching-te, Hsiao Bi-khim and others will all come to Kaohsiung to campaign for him later on.
• On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lai Jui-lung and Tsai Ing-wen visited a sheltered workshop in Zuoying, buying 800 gift boxes in two separate purchases to support charitable procurement affected by the downturn.
• KMT candidate Ko Chih-en held an evening concert at Sanfeng Temple, with Chiayi City mayor Huang Min-hui appearing alongside her, while spending the day at a series of charity events.
• Ko Chih-en put forward a policy pitch, proposing to turn the 57 hectares of land at the 205 Arsenal into a commercial and leisure hub surpassing Taipei's Xinyi Planning District.

Outlook: Ahead of the year-end election, both sides are expected to keep raising the stakes with national-level figures campaigning on their behalf and with local infrastructure pledges, further heating up the Kaohsiung race.