Ahead of the year-end mayoral and county magistrate elections, the Kuomintang is campaigning on joint governance across the four cities of northern Taiwan — a positive message for voters who support cross-city transport and integration of the living circle.

• Li Si-chuan, the candidate for New Taipei mayor, travelled to Keelung to appear on stage with Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang, urging voters in Keelung, New Taipei, Taipei and Taoyuan to back the KMT's candidates.
• The central theme is treating the four cities as a "one-day living circle", with joint policies on transport, education and culture.
• Transport is the core selling point: the Keelung MRT would connect to the Xidong line, then extend to link up with Taipei's Circular Line eastern section and the Bannan line, joining Keelung to Taipei along a single route.
• In Taoyuan, plans call for the Taolin line to be linked with the Linkou and Yingge MRT routes, and even typhoon day closures of offices and schools would be jointly discussed by the four cities and adapted to local conditions.
• Hsieh Kuo-liang recalled that Li Si-chuan came to Keelung to support him when he faced a recall vote two years ago, and is now returning the favour by campaigning for Li.

Outlook: with the campaign entering its final stage, the KMT will continue to make joint governance of the four cities and the MRT network its main appeal.