The battle for the Hsinchu mayoralty is heating up, with incumbent mayor Kao Hung-an seeking re-election and Democratic Progressive Party candidate Chuang Ching-cheng working closely with local communities. The two are taking markedly different approaches to courting voters.

• Kao Hung-an stationed herself at the intersection of Guanxin Road and Guangfu Road in the early morning, waving to commuters heading to work and school.
• She has changed her slogan from four years ago, "Good Morning, Hsinchu," to "Good Afternoon, Hsinchu; Hsinchu Is Safe," emphasising her bid for a second term.
• Chuang Ching-cheng has opted for a community-based approach, reaching parents through family activities such as soap-making, painting and interactive theatre.
• He is positioning Hsinchu as a "children's city," with a focus on education, childcare and quality-of-life policies.
• Traditional campaigning — standing at intersections, street sweeps, living-room gatherings and rice-noodle banquets — remains the basic groundwork for both camps.

Outlook: Both candidates are expected to continue strengthening their local operations in the near term, and education and childcare issues are likely to become the main point of contention in this race.