Leading Taiwan presidential candidate William Lai wrote in The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that he could keep the peace with China if elected, reiterating his willingness for talks without preconditions and a pledge to boost defenses.
Lai, Taiwan's vice president and the candidate for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has consistently led the majority of opinion polls ahead of the January election. President Tsai Ing-wen cannot run again after two terms in office.
In a commentary piece, Lai said that despite the military and economic challenges from China, including China's almost daily aerial incursions near the island, his top priorities remained pragmatism and consistency.