Beijing does not approve of Vice President William Lai (賴清德), who is the DPP’s presidential candidate, because of his stance on independence, Nathan said. Columbia University political science professor Andrew Nathan speaks at an event in Taipei yesterday. That is why Beijing frequently flies warplanes near Taiwan and is building up its military bases in the South China Sea, he said. The Taiwan question is a “zero-sum game” for the US and China, he said. He warned that there is “anti-China rhetoric” in the US Congress, adding that congresspeople often take a tough stance on China to bolster their own political interests.
