Taiwan: The ruling party of Taiwan has nominated Vice President Mr. William Lai as its candidate for next year’s presidential elections.

The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) choice of Mr. Lai, a man who has been more outspoken on Taiwanese independence than President Ms. Tsai Ing-wen, is expected to cause dissatisfaction in China. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to reunite the self-governed island.

The DPP’s announcement came two days after China formally ended three days of military drills around Taiwan that included simulated attacks on key targets on the island.

“I am very honoured to have received the DPP’s nomination to take part in the 2024 presidential election and to uphold the duty of safeguarding Taiwan,” Mr. Lai told reporters in Taipei.

The 63-year-old has long been considered the frontrunner for the DPP nomination to succeed Ms. Tsai, who is barred from running again after her second four-year term ends in May 2024.

“Now, the democratic bloc in the international community has noticed China’s threat to the international community and is concerned with the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait. You must prepare for war to avoid war. To stop a war, you must be able to fight a war,” Mr. Lai further added.

China has ramped up military, diplomatic, and economic pressure on Taiwan since Ms. Tsai’s 2016 election, as she views the island as a de facto sovereign nation.

Beijing has already warned that any Taiwanese move towards a declaration of formal independence would prompt a military response.

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