Taiwan’s Presidential Candidate Lai Ching-te Pledges Peace through Strength

Taiwan‘s ruling party presidential candidate, Lai Ching-te, has pledged to maintain the status quo and pursue peace through strength if elected.

Despite Beijing’s claims on Taiwan as its own territory, Lai remains open to engagement with China under the conditions of equality and dignity. Beijing has framed Taiwan’s elections as a choice between peace and war across the Taiwan Strait, denouncing Lai as a separatist.

Lai, however, emphasizes the importance of dialogue to reduce cross-strait risks, stating that peace without sovereignty is not genuine. Both the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) commit to strengthening Taiwan’s defenses, with Lai vowing to continue the policy direction of the incumbent president, Tsai Ing-wen.

Lai also stresses the need to bolster Taiwan’s military and economic strength amid geopolitical tensions. The upcoming election, seen as a test of Taiwan’s commitment to democracy, faces alleged interference from China, including military pressure and fake news.