Taiwanese media report that with registration under way, the shape of KMT-TPP cooperation varies from district to district.

Joint appearances by Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen, TPP chairman Huang Kuo-chang and the KMT's Chiang Chi-chen drew attention to the alignment.

Where it held and where it didn't

In some districts talks moved toward a single agreed candidate. In Zhubei, Hsinchu County, coordination is reported to have collapsed.

Huang expressed regret at the breakdown with a remark to the effect of burning down a whole forest over a single tree.

The governing party's response

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party is reported to be responding with senior figures campaigning directly, with President Lai Ching-te, former president Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim all deployed.

Local elections often run differently from national party polling, since local issues and individual name recognition weigh heavily on results.

What is still ahead

Only once registration closes will the matchups in each district be fixed — and only then can the actual extent of any alliance be verified.

This paper does not call outcomes before registration ends, and distinguishes each camp's announcements from reported fact.

Seen by Taiwanese residents in Korea

Taiwanese nationals living in Korea cannot vote in these local races, but local government policy on education and exchange reaches them indirectly through sister-city programmes and study cooperation.

Changes in local administrations have shifted the priorities of such programmes before.