China and Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang, warned in unison late Thursday that Taiwan’s ruling party presidential candidate Lai Ching-te could pose a danger to peace if he wins the election this weekend. Some analysts say that labeling the DPP, Tsai Ing-wen, and Lai Ching-te as Taiwan independent and linking them to the war are intended to intimidate Taiwanese people not to vote for them.
China and Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang warned ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te that he posed a threat to peace.
Taiwan will hold crucial presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, which are closely watched by the international community amid geopolitical tensions. China claims Taiwan as its own territory despite the opposition of Taiwan’s current government.
China has not publicly named a preferred candidate or specified what the right choice is, but sees the vote as a decision between war and peace, according to Reuters. But both China and the Kuomintang say the DPP’s Lai is a dangerous supporter of Taiwan’s independence. Lai Ching-te has repeatedly proposed talks with China, but has been rejected.
Lai Ching-te said that only the people of Taiwan can decide their own future.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement that Lai Qingde is a “stubborn Taiwan independence element” and will further promote separatist activities if he comes to power.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by condemning China for “once again blatantly intimidating the Taiwanese people and the international community” and trying to influence the election.
China has never given up the use of force to control Taiwan and has stepped up military activities around Taiwan over the past four years, regularly sending fighter jets and warships into the Taiwan Strait.
The Kuomintang, which has traditionally favored closer ties with China but denies being pro-Beijing, also denounced Lai as an independence supporter.
Lai’s campaign said the KMT’s position was in China’s interests, parroting China’s position and “spreading fear of war.”
A spokesman for the Democratic Progressive Party criticized the KMT vice presidential candidate Zhao Shaokang for only thinking about reunification with China.
Speaking at a rally that attracted more than 200,000 supporters on Thursday night, Lai said that Taiwan is already a bastion of democracy and freedom and that people should choose the right candidate and the right path to democracy. “Peace depends on strength. It is not based on the goodwill of the aggressor,” Lai told the cheering crowd. He also promised to “maintain the status quo, neither be humble nor arrogant, and ensure the country’s survival and development.”
Lai has made it clear before that he does not seek to change Taiwan’s official name, the “Republic of China.”
