Taiwanese presidential hopeful William Lai stresses cross-strait status quo in bid to appease US, Beijing

In Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Taiwan’s would-be leader says he has no plans to declare independence and offers ‘four-pillar plan for peace’

Analysts say the article, published on US Independence Day, aims to reassure Washington that the DPP candidate will not provoke trouble if elected

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William Lai Ching-te has long been regarded as “deep green” – a reference to the more radical, pro-independence leanings within Taiwan’s ruling party. Photo: Facebook

Published: 10:00pm, 5 Jul 2023Updated: 10:58pm, 5 Jul 2023

Taiwanese presidential hopeful and vice-president William Lai Ching-te has stressed to international media that he has no plans to declare independence for Taiwan if elected the island’s next leader in January.

Analysts said the move was aimed at reassuring the United States that he would not cause trouble, while at the same time telling Beijing he would adhere to the status quo.

In an opinion piece published by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, Lai touted pragmatism and consistency as his top priorities if elected president of the island.

Lai, 63, was nominated in April by Taiwan’s ruling party, the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, to run for the island’s top post.

“I will support the cross-strait status quo – which is in the best interests of both the Republic of China, as Taiwan is formally known, and the international community,” he wrote.

“I will never rule out the possibility of dialogue without preconditions, based on the principles of reciprocity and dignity,” he added.

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