Polls open as Taiwan voters choose next president, weighing China’S threat and island’s stability

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN and SIMINA MISTREANU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The polls have opened in Taiwan as the island’s voters choose a new president in an election that could chart the trajectory of relations with China over the next four years. At stake is the peace and stability of the 110-mile-wide strip of water between the Chinese mainland and the self-governed island, which is claimed by China as its own. China’s military threats could sway some voters against independence-leaning candidates, but the U.S. has pledged support for whichever government emerges. Apart from China tensions, the election largely hinges on domestic issues, such as a slowed economy, housing affordability, a yawning gap between rich and poor, and unemployment.