Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party celebrated its 40th anniversary with a concert in Taipei, using the event to rally its candidates ahead of local elections — a show of unity for the party, and a reminder to rivals that its democracy-and-sovereignty message remains central to its campaign.

• President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, former party chairs, and the party's city and county chief candidates all attended the "Passing on 40 Years, Democratic Resonance" concert.
• Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen said Taiwan and the DPP never took shortcuts, tracing a line from the martial-law-era democracy movement to today's push for self-reliant defense and drones.
• Shen, whose child is adopted, said "what truly needs no bloodline is freedom and democracy," and that both were won through sacrifice, not handed down; he pledged policies on industry, AI, business districts, and tourism for Taipei.
• New Taipei mayoral candidate Su Chiao-hui called herself "the second generation of democratic politics," saying she grew up at democracy-movement rallies and will try to become New Taipei's first female mayor; nine of the DPP's local chief candidates this year are women.
• Yilan candidate Lin Kuo-chang said he would carry on the "Yilan experience" of clean, hard-working, land-loving governance built by earlier democracy figures, aiming to win back the county's pride.

Outlook: The DPP is framing the upcoming local elections as a generational handover of its democracy legacy, with Taipei and New Taipei shaping up as its marquee races.