Taiwan's two main opposition parties are playing down a scheduling snub, framing it as regional balance rather than a rift ahead of local elections.

• KMT chair Cheng Li-wun will skip the presidential office's National Day event and attend a flag-raising in Kaohsiung instead.
• TPP chair Huang Kuo-chang defended the move, suggesting it spreads attention beyond Taipei to southern Taiwan.
• Huang said what matters is putting the country first, wherever a leader happens to be.
• The comments came while Huang campaigned in New Taipei for TPP council candidates ahead of the local elections.
• KMT New Taipei mayoral candidate Lee Shih-chuan also recorded a video backing one of those TPP candidates, a sign of continued opposition cooperation.

Outlook: Expect more joint KMT–TPP signaling as the local election campaign heats up, with Cheng's absence read as a bid for southern support rather than a break with Taipei.