Taiwan election about choosing whether to embrace China, says presidential front runner Lai

TAIPEI - Taiwan’s people have to make a choice at the 2024 election about whether the island keeps moving forward on the road to democracy or “walks into the embrace of China”, the front runner to be the next president said on Nov 21.

The issue of China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, looms large ahead of the Jan 13 presidential and parliamentary elections, especially as Beijing has been stepping up its military pressure against the island.

Mr William Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s Vice-President and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate, has led in most opinion polls ahead of the elections. The DPP champions Taiwan’s separate identity from China.

The largest opposition party, the Kuomintang, which traditionally favours close ties with Beijing, is locked in a dispute with the smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP) about which of their candidates should run as president and which as vice-president after initially agreeing to work together.

Speaking to reporters and supporters after formally registering his candidacy with the Central Election Commission, Mr Lai said Taiwan’s security was an international issue and the whole world was watching this election.

“The people of Taiwan have to choose between trusting Taiwan, allowing Taiwan to continue to move forward on the road of democracy, and relying on China, following the old path of the one-China principle, and walking into the embrace of China,” he said.

Beijing has demanded that Taipei accepts that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to “one China”, which the DPP-led government has rejected, saying that only the island’s people can decide their future.

Mr Lai on Nov 20 announced Taiwan's high-profile former de facto ambassador to the United States,

Ms Hsiao Bi-khim, as his running mate

.

Like Mr Lai, Ms Hsiao is despised by China, which has twice placed sanctions on her, most recently in April, saying she was an “independence diehard”.

Chinese state television lambasted the Lai-Hsiao team up in a commentary on its website, saying they were “villains colluding together”.

“Taiwan independence means war. The Lai-Hsiao independence double act will intensify cross-strait tensions and conflict,” it said.

Mr Lai on Nov 20 dismissed China’s criticism, saying it was further proof of Beijing’s efforts to interfere in the election.

Standing next to Ms Hsiao outside the Election Commission, Mr Lai said he was full of confidence.

“We both deeply love this land, passionately love this country,” he added.

Both wore matching badges on their lapels showing a cartoon dog and cat, Mr Lai being a dog lover and Ms Hsiao a cat lover.

The election registration deadline is Nov 24. It remains unclear when the opposition will register its candidates.

The Kuomintang’s presidential candidate, Mr Hou Yu-ih, said he spoke to the TPP’s presidential candidate and party chairman Ko Wen-je on Nov 21 and expressed his “sincerity” in wanting to keep talking about how they should team up.

“From start to finish, I have never insisted I had to be the lead,” Mr Hou said, referring to being the presidential rather than vice-presidential candidate.

Mr Ko, a former Taipei mayor who founded the TPP in 2019, said on Nov 19 that he would “continue to fight to the end” as his party’s presidential candidate. REUTERS