However, Lai called a world without sovereignty similar to the situation around Hong Kong «fake».
Taiwan's ruling party presidential candidate William Lai has promised to maintain the status quo in relations with Beijing if he is elected as head of state. He said he would be open to engaging with Beijing on the condition of "equality and dignity," otherwise Lai expressed his willingness to pursue peace by force. His words are quoted by the Reuters news agency.
The candidate said the one-China principle that Beijing proposes to adopt "is not true peace." Lai called "fake" a world without sovereignty, similar to the situation around Hong Kong.
Taiwanese presidential candidate William Lai's remarks at the debate that the island could be governed democratically were criticized earlier by Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Chinese State Council. He called Lai "the instigator of a potentially dangerous war in the Taiwan Strait."