President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has stayed within the framework for most of her eight years in office, Tso said, citing sources that described Tsai’s inauguration speech in 2016 as her version of the “one China” policy. Lai has repeatedly made clear his opposition to “one China,” Tso said, adding that how he is to put the words into policy is “a core question” for Taiwan-US-China ties. Beijing is intensifying its “gray zone” tactics against Taiwan to force it to negotiate and compel Lai to adopt a cross-strait policy that is “acceptable or tolerable” for China, Tso said. China and the US restored high-level communications when Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met with US President Joe Biden in November last year, and Beijing is hoping to use the US to restrain Lai, Tso said. If Biden is re-elected, the US’ China policy is likely to be consistent; if Trump wins, the policy would be more unpredictable, Li said.
