Taiwan presidential candidate Lai says he is willing to reopen talks with China

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s leading presidential candidate William Lai said Tuesday he hopes for a reopening of dialogue with China following almost eight years of Beijing’s near-complete refusal to communicate with leaders of the self-governing island it considers its own territory.

But Lai told reporters he would continue the current administration’s policy of maintaining democratic Taiwan’s de-facto independence in the face of Chinese Communist Party threats to annex it by political, military or economic means. China demands that Taiwan’s leadership concede its claim of ownership over the island before reopening contacts.

“While aspiring for peace, we harbor no illusions,” Lai said at a news conference ahead of Saturday’s polls for the presidency and legislature. “We will build up Taiwan’s defense deterrence, strengthen Taiwan’s capabilities in economic security, enhance partnerships with democracies around the world and maintain stable and principled leadership on cross (Taiwan) Strait relations.”

“Our door will always be open to engagement with Beijing under the principles of equality and dignity. We are ready and willing to engage to show more for the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Peace is priceless and war has no winners,” Lai said.

Lai, currently Taiwan’s vice president, is broadly seen as the front-runner in the election to succeed President Tsai Ing-wen, who is barred by law from running for a third term. Most polls show him well ahead of the main opposition Nationalist Party, or KMT, candidate Hou You-yi, who favors eventual unification with China under its own terms, and the alternative Taiwan People’s Party’s Ko Wen-je, who has also pressed for renewed dialogue with China and the avoidance of