TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan is holding its presidential election on Saturday, a race that China has called a choice between war and peace. China considers the self-ruled island about 160 kilometers (100 miles) off its east coast a breakaway province and has threatened to take control over it, by force if necessary.
Taiwan’s election is closely watched internationally due to the potential for rising military tensions across the Taiwan Strait. At home, voters are concerned with more practical issues such as the sluggish economy and expensive housing in addition to Beijing’s threat.
Here are the three candidates:
LAI CHING-TE
Lai Ching-te, who also goes by William, is currently Taiwan’s vice president from the Democratic Progressive Party, which rejects China’s sovereignty claims over the island.
Years ago, the 64-year-old described himself as a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence,” drawing criticism from Beijing.
China bristles at any claims of independence by Taiwanese politicians and opposes Taipei having formal ties with other countries. Beijing has repeatedly rejected offers to hold talks with Lai and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Lai says he remains open to speaking with China without conceding Taiwan’s right to rule itself.
“As long as there is equality and dignity on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan’s door will always be open,” he said in December.
A physician who studied public health at Harvard University, Lai has held public office for the past 25 years, including as a legislator and mayor of the southern city of Tainan.
During his and Tsai’s tenure, Taiwan increased arms acquisitions from the United States, which is bound by its law to provide the island with weapons needed to protect itself.
If elected president, Lai has pledged to strengthen national defense and the economy and to continue in the policy direction set by Tsai.
His running mate is former U.S. envoy Bi-khim Hsiao.
HOU YU-IH
Hou Yu-ih is the candidate from Taiwan’s main opposition party Kuomintang, or KMT, whose government retreated to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war against the Chinese Communist Party.
