Taiwan’s presidential candidates emphasize peace in relations with Beijing

By SIMINA MISTREANU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s presidential candidates have expressed desire for peaceful relations with Beijing, which has described Jan. 13 elections on the self-ruled island as a choice between war and peace and stepped up harassment of the territory it claims as own. William Lai, the frontrunner and currently Taiwan’s vice president from the ruling Democratic People’s Party, said in a televised debate Saturday that he was open to communicating with the government in Beijing, which has refused to talk to him or President Tsai Ing-wen. Beijing favors the candidate from the more China-friendly Nationalist, or Kuomintang, Party, and has criticized Lai and Tsai as “separatists” and accused them of trying to provoke a Chinese attack on Taiwan. Lai promised to help strengthen Taiwan’s defense and economy.