Taiwan will hold elections Saturday for a new president and legislature, with the outcomes likely to impact its strained relationship with China.
Those running for president include current Vice President Lai Ching-te on the Democratic Progressive Party ticket, Hou Yu-ih of the Nationalist Party and former mayor of the capital Taipei, Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party.
Taiwan has increasingly tried to forge closer ties with Western nations, as China continues to state the position the island nations is a breakaway province that one day must be unified with the mainland.
As a result, China has continue. to flex its military might in the waters off Taiwan. And last month, China President Xi Jinping vowed that his country will be reunited with Taiwan and that his people will "prevent anyone from splitting" the self-governing island from mainland China.