Taiwan election: President Tsai Ing-wen weighs in after DPP’s William Lai faces new independence row

KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih asked whether Lai wanted independence after the vice-president warned against relying on the island’s constitution as a ‘sacred mountain and shield’

But Tsai tried to turn the tables on the opposition party, saying its approach to relations with mainland China was more risky

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Tsai Ing-wen delivers her final new year’s speech as Taiwanese president. Photo: AP

Published: 9:01pm, 1 Jan 2024Updated: 10:33pm, 1 Jan 2024

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has tried to defuse a row triggered by her party’s presidential candidate William Lai Ching-te saying that relying on its official constitution to deal with mainland China risked “disaster”.

Opponents said the comments by Lai, the current vice-president and candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, indicated he supported independence.

In a televised debate on Saturday, he asked his main rival, the Kuomintang’s candidate Hou Yu-ih: “If we make the Republic of China [the island’s official name] the sacred mountain and our shield, what exactly do you aim to do? Promote peace or bring disaster to Taiwan?”

After the debate, critics heaped scorn on Lai, saying this proved Lai supported Taiwan’s independence and did not recognise the ROC.

Lai – who told foreign media last year that he had no plan to declare independence – said on Sunday that the comments about a “sacred mountain” were referring to the ROC constitution and not the republic itself.

Speaking after delivering her final new year’s address as president on Monday, Tsai stressed that as the island’s leader, she was obliged to follow the ROC constitution in dealing with mainland China and Lai supported that approach.