Global Courant
TAIPEI — Taiwan’s leading presidential candidate William Lai wrote in The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that he could keep peace with China if elected.
Mr Lai, the Vice President of Taiwan and the candidate for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, has consistently led the majority of polls ahead of the January elections.
President Tsai Ing-wen is out of office after two terms.
In a commentary, Mr Lai said that despite China’s military and economic challenges, including China’s near-daily airstrikes near the island, his top priorities remained pragmatism and consistency.
“I will support the Cross-Strait status quo – which is in the best interests of both the Republic of China, as Taiwan is formally known, and the international community. I will never rule out the possibility of dialogue without preconditions, based on the principles of reciprocity and dignity,” he added.
Mr Lai said he would continue with Ms Tsai’s plan to strengthen Taiwan’s defenses, such as spending more money on the military, adding that these measures reduce the risk of war by increasing the stakes and costs for Beijing .
“I will seek greater cooperation with partners and allies, particularly on training, force restructuring, civil defense and information sharing,” he wrote.
According to diplomatic sources, Mr Lai is expected to visit the United States in August, as presidential candidates traditionally do, to discuss their policy agenda.
The US is Taiwan’s main international lender and arms supplier.
Ms Tsai has repeatedly offered talks with China but was turned down.
Beijing considers her a separatist for refusing to accept the Chinese position that Taiwan and China are part of “one China”. She says that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future.
Mr Lai angered China in 2018 when he was prime minister, telling Parliament that he was a “Taiwan independence worker” and that his position was that Taiwan was a sovereign, independent country – a red line for Beijing.
Both Ms Tsai and Mr Lai say the Republic of China, the formal name of Taiwan, is already an independent state, despite only 13 countries formally recognizing it.
The defeated Republican government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong’s communists, who founded the People’s Republic of China. REUTERS
