War with China is not an option, Taiwan ruling party VP candidate says

The vice presidential candidate for Taiwan's ruling party said on Thursday that war with China is not an option, pointing to cross-strait communications as key to easing tensions.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) this week announced Hsiao Bi-khim, previously Taiwan's high-profile de facto ambassador to the United states, as the running mate for its presidential candidate Lai Ching-te, the frontrunner to be the island's next leader.

"We remain open to dialogue with China," Hsiao told reporters. "Dialogue is the only way to resolve differences."

The January 13 election will shape Chinese-claimed Taiwan's relations with Beijing at a time that it has stepped up military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims.

Expanding support among Americans was critical, Hsiao said.

"We cannot afford to let Taiwan become an issue of partisan difference in the United States," she said.

The United States, like most countries, has no formal ties with Taiwan but is its strongest international backer, bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

China detests both Lai, who is vice president, and Hsiao, saying they are dangerous separatists, and has twice placed sanctions on Hsiao.

Lai says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.

The DPP's smooth handling of its presidential campaign stands in stark contrast to that of Taiwan's two main opposition parties, the Kuomintang (KMT) and much smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP) who are deadlocked on talks about running a joint ticket.

The deadline to register presidential and vice presidential candidates with the election commission is Friday afternoon. Lai and Hsiao registered on Tuesday.

The KMT, which traditionally favours close ties with Beijing, originally agreed to team up with the TPP but neither has been able to agree who runs as president and who as vice president.