The three men vying to be Taiwan’s next president

BBC News:

On 13 January, Taiwan will elect a new president in a critical race that could redefine the island’s relationship with China.

Beijing has long claimed self-governed Taiwan as a breakaway province and has loomed over the island’s elections since the first one in 1996.

This year’s race to replace sitting President Tsai Ing-wen is happening at a time when Taiwan has emerged as a key flashpoint between the US and China. Geopolitics aside, low wages and soaring home prices are among the domestic challenges weighing on voters.

The current vice-president is on the ballot and leading polls by a small margin, followed by a former police chief. An ex-city mayor, who had initially upset calculations in the winner-takes-all race, appears now to be trailing well behind. The legislative elections, where each voter will cast one ballot for their district and another for at-large seats, will run on the same day.

Here’s more on the three presidential hopefuls and their running mates.