Kuomintang Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en has rolled out a policy platform to revitalise the local economy, focusing on established commercial districts, the areas around railway stations, and the transformation of the service sector — a boost for shops in the old city centre and for young entrepreneurs.

• She plans to set up a matchmaking platform that would take stock of vacant storefronts and markets in the old city centre, using tax breaks and rent subsidies to attract businesses and entrepreneurs to move in.
• The second measure is the regeneration of the old town around the railway station, bringing in high-end office space and international hotels, alongside youth start-up grants to nurture new ventures.
• The green corridor left behind by the undergrounding of the Taiwan Railway would link the commercial districts of Gushan, Yancheng, Sanmin and Fengshan.
• On the service sector, she is promoting a "NT$100 Million Transformation Plan" to help small and medium-sized enterprises adopt AI and cloud technology, and to develop smart healthcare, distance education and smart logistics.
• The core message is that urban development cannot be concentrated in only a handful of districts, and that quiet old neighbourhoods need to draw crowds once again.

Outlook: The battle over economic policy in the Kaohsiung mayoral race has begun, and rival camps are expected to put forward their own versions in the near future.