Taiwan is preparing for elections: geopolitics and internal problems call into question the island's future

On January 13, this Saturday, Taiwan will hold presidential and legislative elections. The election campaign of presidential candidates and parties has been tense, AP News and the BBC report, UNN reports.

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On January 13, the people of Taiwan will elect a president among three main candidates. These are the current Vice President and representative of the Democratic Progressive Party, Lai Ching-te, former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je of the People's Party of Taiwan, and Hou Yu, a candidate from the main opposition Kuomintang Nationalist Party.

The current president of the country, Tsai Ing-wen, who represents the Democratic Progressive Party, has served a maximum of two terms in office and is therefore not running again. According to the BBC, the favorite in the race, Vice President Lai Qingde, calls himself a successor to Tsai Ing-wen's policy. However, because of Lai's statements about Taiwan's independence, the opposition and Chinese representatives  call him a war candidate and a puppet of the United States. Analysts expect Beijing to increase military pressure if he wins.

At the same time, Hou Yu of the Kuomintang advocates closer ties between the island and China, insists on restoring contacts, cooperation, and dialogue with China, and talks about implementing deterrence tactics without provocation.

The presidential candidates are in a fierce battle, given the geopolitical interests of Washington and Beijing. China considers the island its territory of influence, so it is trying to bring Taiwan closer to mainland China. For its part, the United States, acting as a key ally of Taiwan, expresses support for the country in the face of military threats from China.

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In addition to external factors, elections are also determined by internal problems. In particular, economic difficulties and social divisions are coming to the fore. The economy grew by only 1.4% last year and housing affordability issues are serious challenges for the newly elected leader.

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