China calls Taiwan presidential candidate instigator of war

Chen Binhua, a representative of the Taiwan Affairs Office under the State Council of the People's Republic of China, criticized Taiwan's presidential candidate William Lai after his remarks at a debate on whether the peninsula can be governed as a democracy.

Chen Binhua said William Lai's speech at the debate was filled with "confrontational thinking." He said the peninsula's presidential candidate is "the instigator of a potentially dangerous war in the Taiwan Strait", according to the Associated Press.

At Saturday's debate, Lai said he was willing to negotiate with Beijing "as long as there is equality and dignity on both sides of the Taiwan Strait." He also emphasized that Taiwan is not subordinate to China.

While Lai does not describe himself as seeking independence from Beijing, he generally maintains that Taiwan is already an independent party.