amna: In Taiwan, voters head to
the polls tomorrow for
presidential and parliamentary
elections.
The results will be as closely
watched in beijing and
Washington as they will in
Taipei.
China considers Taiwan a
breakaway republic, and
president XI jinping often
speaks of reunification with the
island.
Nick schifrin looks at the
candidates, and the stakes for
tomorrow's vote.
♪♪
Nick: Taiwan's election is
cacophonous, colorful, and a
little chaotic.
It's also critical to the future
of the region.
The leading candidate is Lai
ching-te, known as William Lai,
the current vice president from
the democratic Progressive
party, or dpp.
He vows to continue Taiwan's
current de-facto Independence,
and uses more moderate language
about Taiwan's relationship with
mainland China then he used to.
>> I will maintain the status
quo and continue to bring
society together.
Our door will always be open to
engagements with beijing.
Nick: But the people's republic
of China, or prc, appears to be
keeping the door shut tight.
Recent military exercises have
helped deliver beijing's
election warning.
It will be more tension, more
satellite launches, more
balloons flying over Taiwan like
the one that flew over the us
last year, if you choose William
Lai.
Wang wenbin is the foreign
ministry spokesman.
>> Lai ching-te clings
stubbornly to the separatist
position for Taiwan
Independence.
He is a troublemaker through and
through.
>> Sometimes people describe him
as a pro-independence leader,
but that's not really the
position he's he's taking in
this election. [8.8]
Nick: Shelley rigger is the
faculty Dean and professor of
east Asian studies at Davidson
college.
She spoke to us from a campaign
office in Taipei.
>> His mandate if he wins is to
maintain the current status quo
across the Taiwan strait, which
is Taiwan as a self-governing,
democratic entity that hasn't
fully separated itself from its
history as a Chinese place.
The main opposition candidate,
Hou yu-ih, is from the
kuomintang party, or kmt,
historically less antagonistic
toward beijing.
>> For the dpp, the path to
preserving the status quo is to
remain close to the U.S.
For the kmt candidate, Hou
yu-ih, Taiwan needs to engage
with beijing more actively in
order to preserve its security
and autonomy.
Nick: This election also
features for the first time a
third-party candidate, former
Taipei mayor KO wen-je, popular
among young voters.
>> He's not that different on
the major policy areas.
His position on cross-strait
relations is a little bit hard
to discern.
But I think his appeal is that
he's a new face.
The prc doesn't like any of
these candidates, but they
dislike Lai ching-te the most.
>> That's led to what Taiwan
calls beijing's unprecedented
election interference.
Including Lai deepfakes.
That's the real Lai on the left,
right.
--
that's the real Lai on the left,
manipulated Lai on the right.
And what the us and Taiwan call
disinformation about labs with
dangerous viruses, and
bioweapons.
Independent researchers have
also found a campaign of fake
online accounts, disparaging Lai
and promoting the kmt.
Taipei accuses beijing of cyber
attacks, co-opting local
officials, and increasing
economic pressure.
>> China has intervened in every
major Taiwanese election, but
this time it is the most severe.
It can be said that they are
leaving no stone unturned.
>> So you're saying the united
States would come to Taiwan's
defense if China was attacked?
Pres. Biden: Yes.
We have a commitment to do that.
Nick: Looming behind
taipei-beijing relations is
Washington's relationship with
beijing.
The U.S. Has expanded its
military presence in the
pacific, especially in Japan.
And the U.S. Has worked to
improve Taiwan's military.
But the administration says it's
policy hasn't changed, including
that Taiwan should not declare
Independence.
Pres. Biden: We maintain the
agreement that there is a one
China policy.
>> The prc is really always
worried about somehow losing
Taiwan.
And the thing that they worry
about the most, honestly, is
that the U.S. Will encourage
Taiwan or somehow give Taiwan a
blank check to bust a move and
do something that will force the
prc to respond militarily.
Nick: On new year's day, Chinese
communist party general
secretary XI jinping reiterated
his promise that Taiwan and
beijing will one day fly the
same flag.
>> The reunification of China is
a historical inevitability.
Nick: Of course, all politics
are local.
Voters have economic concerns
and are exhausted of same-party
rule.
>> Okay, and then my
taiwan-style pork chop.
Nick: But beijing is on their
mind.
And young Taiwanese are
increasingly proud to identify
themselves as from Taiwan, not
China, with Taiwanese food,
Taiwanese music, including by
bands banned in mainland China,
and perhaps most of all,
Taiwanese democracy.
>> They are going to show with
their votes their determination
to sustain a democratic system
and to preserve their freedom.
Nick: Democracy here is only 35
years old, but tomorrow the
people of Taiwan will choose
their next leader, something the
people of mainland China are not
able to do.
For the pbs newshour, I'm Nick
schifrin.