TAIPEIΜύ–ΜύThe vice presidentialΜύ³¦²Ή²Τ»εΎ±»ε²Ή³Ω±πΜύforΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²Τ‘sΜύ°ω³ά±τΎ±²Τ²΅Μύ±θ²Ή°ω³Ω²βΜύin a January election said on Thursday thatΜύ·Ι²Ή°ωΜύwithΜύ°δ³σΎ±²Τ²ΉΜύisΜύ²Τ΄Η³ΩΜύanΜύ΄Η±θ³ΩΎ±΄Η²Τ, pointing to cross-strait communications as key to easing tension that has raised concern about the region’s stability.
China, which viewsΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²ΤΒ as its own territory despite the strong objections of the government in Taipei, looms large over the Jan. 13 pollΒ especially asΜύ°δ³σΎ±²Τ²ΉΜύhas stepped up military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims.
The Democratic ProgressiveΜύ±Κ²Ή°ω³Ω²βΜύ(DPP) this week announced Hsiao Bi-khim, previouslyΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²Τ‘s high-profile de facto ambassador to the United states, as the running mate for its presidentialΜύ³¦²Ή²Τ»εΎ±»ε²Ή³Ω±πΜύLai Ching-te, the frontrunner to be the island’s next leader.
°δ³σΎ±²Τ²ΉΜύdetests both Lai and Hsiao, viewing them as separatists, and has put sanctions on Hsiao twice, most recently in April.
Hsiao told reporters that “many other international friends” had also been sanctioned byΜύ°δ³σΎ±²Τ²ΉΜύand she would forge ahead in her commitment to defendingΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²Τ‘s democracy.
“We have reiterated our position that we remain open to dialogue, that we are also committed to the status quo,” she said.
“It’s also important that the international community, who also agrees with our position in continuing peace and stability in theΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²ΤΒ Strait, make clear to our counterparts across theΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²ΤΒ Strait that dialogue is the only way to resolve differences.Μύ°Β²Ή°ωΜύisΜύ²Τ΄Η³ΩΜύanΜύ΄Η±θ³ΩΎ±΄Η²Τ.”
Hsiao, a fluent English speaker who becameΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²Τ‘s envoy to the United States in 2020, brings her deep connections in Washington to Lai’s campaign.
She said when it came to the United States,Μύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²ΤΒ had to forge unified and bipartisan support and that expanding broad support among Americans was critical.
“American support toΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²ΤΒ can²Τ΄Η³ΩΜύbe limited to the beltway,” Hsiao said, referring to the Washington political scene. “A rock solid partnership with the United States is critically important right now.”
The United States, like most countries, has no formal ties withΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²ΤΒ but is its strongest international backer, bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.
The DPP’s smooth handling of its presidential campaign stands in stark contrast to that ofΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²Τ‘s two main opposition parties, the Kuomintang (KMT) and much smallerΜύ°Υ²ΉΎ±·Ι²Ή²ΤΒ People’sΜύ±Κ²Ή°ω³Ω²βΜύ(TPP) who are deadlocked on talks about running a joint ticket.
The deadline to register presidential and vice presidentialΜύ³¦²Ή²Τ»εΎ±»ε²Ή³Ω±πs with the election commission is Friday afternoon. Lai and Hsiao registered on Tuesday.
The KMT, which traditionally favors close ties with Beijing, originally agreed to team up with the TPP but neither has been able to agree who runs as president and who as vice president. – Reuters
