China urges voters to shun pro-independence forces ahead of Taiwan polls

China made a last-minute appeal to Taiwanese voters ahead of the country’s presidential election, urging them to embrace peaceful reunification and oppose groups on the island that seek independence.

China’s point man on Taiwan, Song Tao, stated in his New Year’s message to the people of Taiwan that China steadfastly opposes “Taiwan independence,” upholds peace, fosters greater cooperation, exchanges, and integration, and advances reunification to make sure that cross-strait relations are headed towards peaceful development.

China claims Taiwan as part of the mainland, despite Taiwan’s continued democracy in contrast to China’s one-party rule under the Communist Party.

Song, the head of the State Council’s or China’s Cabinet’s Taiwan Affairs Office and the Communist Party of China’s Taiwan Work Office, also urged Taiwanese citizens to stand on the right side of history, put cross-strait relations back on the path of peaceful development, and further China’s peaceful reunification process.

China is closely monitoring Taiwan’s presidential election, where the 19 million voters on the divided island will choose a new president on January 13 to succeed pro-independence Tsai Ing-wen, who fiercely opposed China throughout her two terms as president, which lasted eight years.

She has two terms left before she must stand down.

China denounces her and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as separatists and subtly supports the Kuomintang (KMT), which is in favour of strong connections to the mainland and supports Beijing.

There are now three contenders in the running.

Vice President William Lai Chiang-te was put forward by the DPP. Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and Hou Yup-ih of the KMT opposed him.

Pre-poll surveys indicate that Lai is the front-runner, followed by Hou in second and Ko in third.

Eighty-seven percent of Taiwanese respondents to the survey believe that China has become a greater threat in recent years.

China has intensified its attempts to “re-unify” Taiwan by aggressively enforcing its One China policy since President Xi Jinping into office in 2012, according to high military and diplomatic priority to it.

China has increased military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, deploying a large number of aircraft and naval vessels in the Taiwan Strait, which divides the two countries, raising fears of an invasion around the world.

Xi stated in his Sunday New Year’s speech that China will undoubtedly reunite and that all Chinese people, regardless of where they live in Taiwan, should be united by a shared vision for the country’s rebirth.

In response to Xi’s remarks, Tsai retaliated by stating that democracy should be the guiding concept for relations with China.

“This is taking the joint will of Taiwan’s people to make a decision. After all, we are a democratic country,” she told the media in Taipei on Monday.

Taiwan’s first female president, Tsai, stated that China ought to accept the results of the election in her country and that all parties bear some of the blame for keeping the strait peaceful and stable.

(With agency inputs)