Taiwan presidential frontrunner accuses opposition party of being ‘pro-communist’

The frontrunner to be Taiwan's next president accused the main opposition party on Tuesday of betraying the anti-communist ideals of its forefathers and being overtly pro-China, in a stinging attack ahead of next month's election. Vice President Lai Ching-te, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) presidential candidate, said in a second live televised pre-election policy address that while the Kuomintang (KMT) party had once led the fight against China's communists, its current party leaders "not only don't oppose the communists, they are pro-communist". The Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary elections are taking place against the backdrop of increased military and political pressure from China to assert its sovereignty claims over democratically governed Taiwan.