TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Vice President and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Sunday (May 28) said that he would like to have dinner with China's Chairman Xi Jinping (習近平) and tell him to "chill out."
That day, Lai fielded rapid-fire questions from political science students at his alma mater, National Taiwan University (NTU). The quick question and answer session was posted on Lai's Instagram account on Monday (May 29).
When asked what his favorite Taiwanese snack was, Lai said Tamsui A-gei. Asked to recall his main memory from his studies at NTU, Lai said that he mainly recalls working part-time as a private tutor to earn spending money.
Regarding where in Taiwan he would like to spend his retirement, the 63-year-old presidential hopeful said he is applying for a "very important job" and has not yet thought about retiring.
Posed with the question of which head of state he would most like to have dinner with, Lai said "Xi Jinping. China's Chairman Xi Jinping." Lai said that if he had a chance to dine with Xi, he would advise him to "chill out a little. Stop putting everyone under so much pressure."
He said that he would add that “The well-being of the people is the most important thing and peace is good for everyone.”
Lai is competing with Taiwan People's Party candidate Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and the Kuomintang Party's choice, New Taipei Mayor Hou You-ih (侯友宜) for the 2024 Taiwanese presidential election. All three are just starting to reveal their plans for relations with China and in the interview with NTU, Lai appears to be taking a conciliatory tone with Beijing, albeit in a tongue-in-cheek way.
