An actress who gave up her Taiwanese household registration and publicly wished for China's "complete reunification" is now running for local office in Taiwan, a test case for how voters handle openly pro-Beijing candidates.

• Chen Chu-yin is running for a New Taipei City council seat in 2026 as a Labor Party candidate, four years after saying she wanted Chinese citizenship.
• Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council says her candidacy is likely valid — she is not on the list of 26 registered candidates of Chinese origin, and she says she never held a Chinese ID card.
• Whether her run breaks the Anti-Infiltration Law depends on how she campaigns and whether Beijing is behind it.
• Candidates who are Chinese spouses are up by seven this cycle, and anyone who gives up Chinese citizenship must wait 10 years before running.
• A retired army colonel, Lai Yueh-chien, drew separate criticism for telling Chinese media that Taiwanese who do not see themselves as Chinese should "move away."

Outlook: The election commission publishes the full candidate list on October 17, and scrutiny of pro-Beijing candidates and possible infiltration will keep building through the vote.