A war of words between Beijing and Taiwan has flared up over a Taipei mayoral candidate's comments on Taiwanese identity, with Taiwan's government firing back sharply at China's taunts.

• China's Taiwan Affairs Office attacked DPP Taipei candidate Shen Bo-yang after he said Taiwanese culture blends indigenous, Hakka, and other influences alongside Chinese culture, calling his view backwards and accusing him of forgetting his roots, even mocking him to "read more books."
• Taiwan's deputy mainland affairs chief Liang Wen-chieh hit back, saying Shen is one of the most well-read people he knows, dismissing Beijing's jab as meaningless.
• The exchange lands in the middle of a tight Taipei mayoral race, with incumbent Chiang Wan-an leading Shen by about 9 points in the latest poll, though Shen has been gaining momentum with a self-described "positive-only" campaign strategy.
• Local disputes are also heating up, including a spat over whose city has worse child-abuse numbers and accusations that Chiang's new campaign newsletter copied Shen's.
• Taiwan's political class is also watching the US midterms, with Taichung's mayor publicly praising the Democrats' win as a sign of democracy's strength.

Outlook: Expect Beijing to keep needling pro-independence-leaning candidates as Taiwan's local elections enter their final weeks, with cross-strait rhetoric likely to sharpen further.