TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is currently the best way forward, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said on Tuesday (Dec. 12).
Speaking at National Chengchi University, Hsiao said Taiwan must find common ground with the international community to maintain the status quo, CNA reported. She said she would garner more global support for Taiwan on this basis, noting increased international backing in recent years.
Hsiao said ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is a global concern. She criticized attempts to create divisions within Taiwanese society or promote antagonism.
She said any presidential candidate seeking election should share their views on cross-strait relations and stressed that China's desire to transform Taiwan into the next Hong Kong was unacceptable. Touching on defense policy, she said that Taiwan needs to increase its defense budget and reform the national conscription system.
Hsiao listed three advantages of voting for the DPP:
- The accumulated experience of herself and presidential candidate Lai Ching-te (賴清德)
- Lai’s higher satisfaction rate during his tenure as Tainan mayor compared to the other two candidates’ mayorships
- And the DPP's more impressive achievements in the past eight years compared to the Kuomintang’s preceding eight years.
The presidential election is slated for Jan. 13.
