China hopes Taiwan elections to help maintain cross-strait peace, stability

ANKARA

China on Friday hoped that Taiwan elections will help maintain cross-straits peace and stability.

Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua said that Beijing respects the existing social system in Taiwan.

"The results of the regional elections in early 2024 will help maintain peace and stability and bring cross-Straits relations back to the right track of peaceful development," Beijing-based daily Global Times quoted Chen as saying after the island’s opposition parties registered separate candidates following the collapse of the unity bid.

Chen added that the mainstream public opinion in the Taiwan region is for peace, development, exchanges and cooperation.

On Friday, Taiwan’s two key opposition parties, Taiwan People's Party (TPP) and Kuomintang (KMT), launched their separate candidates following efforts failed to field joint candidates against the ruling party for the January 2024 election.

TPP's chairman Ko Wen-je and his running mate Legislator Wu Hsin-ying registered their candidacy for the president and vice president, while Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shau-kong registered as candidates for the president and vice president from the KMT party, according to Focus Taiwan.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) already nominated Taiwan’s vice President Lai Ching-te and Bi-khim Hsiao as their candidates for the president and vice president on Tuesday.

"At present, the island is facing a choice between peace and war, prosperity and recession. It is hoped that the majority of Taiwan compatriots will adhere to the righteousness of the Chinese nation, adhere to the 1992 Consensus and oppose ‘Taiwan secession,’ and make the right choice at this critical moment," Chen said.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid