A thick, heavy haze hangs over the southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung. It is evident from all corners of the city, more so when a sunny, clear day highlights the lack of visibility.
On this day, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, of the Kuomintang, has scheduled a press conference for foreign reporters. Apparently the Harvard-educated Mr Ma wants to share in the Christmas spirit by inviting the international media to celebrate his anniversary in office. December 25 once was a public holiday, coinciding with Constitution Day, and gave citizens an excuse to take a Christmas break. The introduction of the five-day work week - reduced from 51/2 days - saw many public holidays axed, with Constitution Day a casualty.
So now, Taiwan works on Christmas Day, the Taipei and Kaohsiung mayors included.
Both have been in power for five years. Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh Chang-ting, of the Democratic Progressive Party, was re-elected on the same day last year as Mr Ma.
Among the list of successes for the northern leader are the opening of more mass-rapid transit (MRT) railway lines and stations, new cultural centres and a city-wide recycling scheme. It is an unfortunate product of Kaohsiung's geography that its domestic and international airport is in the worst possible location, highlighting its weakness - pollution.
The 20-minute drive from the airport to the downtown area offers a vista of industrial real estate from the eight-lane highway.
