FORMER mayor of Taipei and presidential hopeful Ko Wen-je believes it is a must for Taiwan to change its approach when dealing with China.
The presidential contender claimed Taiwan must prepare for conflict but seek dialogue with China.
If elected, Ko said he will advocate a mix of deterrence and dialogue when dealing with China not only to deter possible aggression but also to foster peace between the two sides which he described as “one family.”
According to the 63-year-old, both sides need to build trust adding that Taiwan needs to change its approach in dealing with China.
“We need to build trust between the two sides, and we need to be creative in trying to solve the problem…Taiwan needs to change its approach toward dealing with China,” said Ko Wen-je, Taiwanase presidential candidate.
In a separate interview, the Taiwan People’s Party presidential nominee said that China has never clearly stated its interpretation of the “1992 consensus,” and will ask Beijing to do so once he will be elected as president.
The consensus was an understanding reached during a meeting in 1992 between the semiofficial representatives of mainland China and Taiwan wherein both sides would recognize there is only “one China.”
Based on recent polls, Ko Wen-Je ranked third overall in the presidential race but first in support among young voters, as he saw his popularity rise since announcing his candidacy last month.
