Taiwan presidential front-runner picks former de facto ambassador to US as vice president candidate
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$1 per week for 24 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.75/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/11/2023 (697 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The front-runner in Taiwan’s presidential race has picked the long-term de facto ambassador to the United States as his vice presidential candidate.
Vice President William Lai announced Monday on his Facebook page the nomination of Hsiao Bi-khim — who was born in Japan to a Taiwanese father and an American mother — as his running mate in January’s elections. His choice would likely bolster support among backers of his ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which has long defied Beijing’s demands to return the island under the rule of the authoritarian Communist Party.
Lai and Hsiao face a divided opposition, led by the Nationalist Party, also known as the Kuomintang or KMT, that has sought to draw independent candidates to their ticket. Polls show Lai is ahead, but China is believed to be seeking to influence business groups and media.
Lai currently serves as vice president to President Tsai Ing-wen, who is restricted from running for a third four-year term. In his Facebook post, Tsai said Hsiao had been crucial to cooperation with the U.S., Taiwan’s chief ally.
“This team, following President Tsai’s eight years in power, is completely prepared to withstand all challenges, both domestically and from China,” Lai’s post said.
Hsiao later told a news conference that she had been prepared well to deal with a range of challenges by her upbringing, her years as a legislator representing eastern Taiwan and her eight years as Taiwan’s representative in Washington.
Taiwan faces threats to its democracy from within and to its security from outside, “but there is no way I can avoid this,” said Hsiao, 52, who was partly raised in New Jersey and has degrees from Oberlin College and Columbia University.
___
This story correct the spelling of Hsiao’s full name.