Taiwan ruling party pledges steady hand as opposition rallies

The front-runner to be Taiwan’s next president pledged on Sunday to be a steady hand who would keep the peace with China, as his two opponents attended a thronged rally calling for domestic legal reforms and more action to combat high property prices.
January’s presidential election comes as China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military and political pressure to force the island to accept Beijing’s sovereignty, alarming the region and Washington.
William Lai, Taiwan’s vice president and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate, has consistently led the majority of opinion polls, though former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je of the small Taiwan People’s Party is running a close second.
Speaking at the DPP’s annual congress, Lai reiterated an offer to talk to China on an equal basis to promote the peaceful development of ties, but also the need to strengthen Taiwan’s defences.