FILE PHOTO: Taiwan鈥檚 Vice President William Lai greets his supporters at the launching ceremony of an all female lead presidential campaign volunteer group in Taipei, Taiwan July 9, 2023. REUTERS/Ann Wang
TAIPEI 鈥� The front-runner to be Taiwan鈥檚 next president pledged on Sunday to be a steady hand who would keep the peace with China, as his two opponents attended a thronged rally calling for domestic legal reforms and more action to combat high property prices.
January鈥檚 presidential election comes as China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military and political pressure to force the island to accept Beijing鈥檚 sovereignty, alarming the region and Washington.
William Lai, Taiwan鈥檚 vice president and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party鈥檚 (DPP) presidential candidate, has consistently led the majority of opinion polls, though former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je of the small Taiwan People鈥檚 Party is running a close second.
Speaking at the DPP鈥檚 annual congress, Lai reiterated an offer to talk to China on an equal basis to promote the peaceful development of ties, but also the need to strengthen Taiwan鈥檚 defences.
鈥淚 will use peace as a beacon and democracy as a compass. In the complex geopolitical situation, I will brave the winds and the waves to lead Taiwan steadily forward,鈥� he said, speaking at one of Taipei鈥檚 most well-known hotels.
The DPP conference coincided with a rally for legal reform and against high real estate prices organised in downtown Taipei in front of the presidential office by internet celebrity Holger Chen and Huang Kuo-chang, a former lawmaker for the New Power Party, a small opposition group.
While billed as non-partisan, both Ko and Hou Yu-ih of Taiwan鈥檚 main opposition party the Kuomintang took part, though they did not share the stage together. Terry Gou, the retired founder of major Apple supplier Foxconn, also attended.
Ko, to cheers from the several thousand strong crowd on a scorching hot day, said it was not a protest, despite the anger directed at the DPP by speakers and many in the crowd.
鈥淭his is a day to promote Taiwan鈥檚 progress,鈥� Ko said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not here to protest anything or to create antagonism.鈥�
Hou, running a distant third in the polls, was less well received and got some boos when he spoke.
Taiwan鈥檚 opposition parties frequently criticise the government for interfering in what should be independent bodies like the media regulator, moves the government denies.
Lai told his party鈥檚 congress that the rally was a normal thing for a democracy and criticism should be taken on board.
鈥淲e must listen to their voices, and not reject opinions based on who is speaking,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 have always been convinced that only with more open democratic governance can it be possible to achieve a stronger democratic community and a greater country.鈥�