TAIPEI (TVBS News) — There's just one day to go before Taiwan's 9-in-1 elections which are held every 4 years. On Saturday (Nov. 26), Taiwan nationals will head to the nearest voting station to cast their ballots for city and county leaders.
As the world watches, however, many are worried that the results of the elections could spell trouble for the already tense cross-strait relations. To this, Tunghai University Professor Albert Chiu assures that is likely not the case.
"We probably need to wait until 2024, when the presidential election will be around the corner," Chiu said.
He remarked that unlike the last local elections when the main opposition party, Kuomintang's candidate Han Kuo-yu was on the rise, there is little influence from the Chinese side this time around.
However, with Chinese President Xi Jinping recently securing his third term as party leader, there is one topic that may be at the forefront of his agenda.
"The most urgent (thing) now, is that you want to make sure that everything is on the right track," Chiu said about Xi.
He believes that the stability of cross-strait relations will be of great importance for the Chinese President during this time.
The professor pointed out that regardless of the local election results, President Tsai Ing-wen is also expected to move forward in reconnecting with China through more dialogue, though there are many difficulties.
Meanwhile, the United States' recent vocal support of Taiwan could also indicate a new direction for the island in terms of military sales and approaches to the China issue.
Though the local elections may not have a direct impact on cross-strait relations, It will an indicator for Tsai's administration and their decisions on Taiwan's direction in the future.
