Vice President William Lai (賴清德), the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate, and his running mate, former representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), yesterday held their first campaign rally together in Hualien City, calling January’s election a fight for the survival of the country.
Taiwan has followed the right path under President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) over the past seven years, and the nation needs a leader who will keep it moving forward, Lai said.
After naming Hsiao as his running mate on Monday last week, the pair the next day registered for the Jan. 13 election.
Photo: Wang Chin-yi, Taipei Times
In a TV interview aired on Saturday, her first since returning to Taiwan for the campaign, Hsiao responded to concerns from opposition parties that keeping the DPP in power would lead to war with China, saying that all Taiwanese advocate peace and war would never be considered an option.
“Any candidate aspiring to win the election must approach this matter with the utmost responsibility,” she said.
“Our campaign team is also exercising great caution in strategizing how to increase Taiwan’s international support, ensuring that the current peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait can be maintained,” she added.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
In Hualien, Lai said he and Hsiao have an unwavering commitment to safeguarding Taiwan’s democracy, and pledged to align the nation with democratic societies worldwide.
The election boils down to a choice between democracy and dictatorship, he said, adding that voting for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) could diminish Taiwan’s democracy and sovereignty.
At a campaign event in Taipei, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), the KMT’s presidential candidate, said DPP was resorting to ideological manipulation in its campaign.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
“Who could love Taiwan more than I?” Hou said.
“Lai pays lip service to loving Taiwan, while I show my love for Taiwan through my actions and with my life,” he added, alluding to his previous career as a police officer.
“The KMT is the party that could really safeguard Taiwan’s sovereignty, dignity and peace,” said Hou’s running mate, Broadcasting Corp of China chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康).
Hou reiterated the party’s long-held warning to voters that the election is a choice between war or peace.
If the DPP wins the presidential election, it would likely lead to war with China, he said.
“That is why I joined the presidential race. My main goal is to protect Taiwan with my life, and to ensure cross-strait peace,” he said.
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), running with TPP Legislator Wu Hsin-ying (吳欣盈), did not hold a large campaign event, but instead attended a gathering with a group of young people in Taipei.
“I am still the strongest candidate among the opposition parties,” Ko said.
Regarding an alleged vote-allocation plan by the KMT to “save [Hou] and dump [Ko],” the former Taipei mayor said that “Taiwan is a nation full of surprises, and we will continue to strive for victory.”
Additional reporting by Huang Ching-hsuan
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