Taiwan’s presidential candidates took part in a televised address on Dec. 20: the Taiwan People’s Party’s Ko Wen-je, left, the Democratic Progressive Party’s Lai Ching-te, center, and Kuomintang’s Hou Yu-ih. (Taiwan’s Central Election Commission via Kyodo)
THOMPSON CHAU, contributing writer
TAIPEI — Relations with China and housing issues took center stage at Taiwan’s first televised debate among the three presidential candidates on Tuesday as tightening opinion polls heightened the drama ahead of the Jan. 13 election.
“In the eyes of China, the three of us standing here running for the presidency are all [supporters of] ‘Taiwan independence.’ Do you accept [Beijing’s position]?” Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te, the front-runner and nominee of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, said in the debate.
