2 women to vie in Taiwan presidential election

Taiwan’s main opposition Democratic Progressive Party, DPP, Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen who will be the party’s candidate in the 2016 presidential elections with the hope of becoming the island’s first female leader. Pic: AP.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s ruling Nationalist Party has picked a former teacher and current deputy legislative speaker to run in next year’s presidential election. She will face off against another female candidate in a historic first.

Taiwan, democratic since the late 1980s, has never elected a woman president nor had a choice between two female candidates backed by the major parties.

The Nationalists on Sunday picked Hung Hsiu-chu. She will run against Tsai Ing-wen, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman and an advocate of a more cautious attitude to Taiwan’s rival, China. Tsai leads in polls ahead of the January 2016 election.

Ties with Beijing have shaped up as an early campaign issue.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/134218/2-women-to-vie-in-taiwan-presidential-election/