Admiral Mark Montgomery however noted that Lai’s DPP has grown closer to the Kuomintang Party headed by Hon Yu-ih – a proponent of closer Taiwan-China relations and a “peaceful open dialogue” with Beijing.
He argued Taiwanese parties could leave the door open to a potential strike from China if they fail to agree a firmer common stance on independence.
Speaking to GB News, the naval officer also noted Lai “would no longer say the word independence,” suggesting a further relaxation in relations with China could be upcoming.
He said: “They certainly have no intention of reunification.
“They want to create the condition so that it can never be forced on them. But the DPP has moved a little bit that way.
“The KMT has also moved away from being too close and too concerned about infuriating China. They recognise that the youth of Taiwan do not see themselves as Chinese and therefore don’t vote for anyone.”
He also warned that failing to come up with a bipartisan agreement on Taiwan’s independence policy could undermine the island’s deterrence policy.
Admiral Montgomery added: “The policies of the DPP might be softened by the KMT, and of course to people like me that’s risk because if you do not make these kinds of investments in your defence, if you do not make clear you know your relationship with the United States and your desire for that, you don’t send a strong deterrence message to China.
“So I think it’s more in the messaging that’s important in this election that the DPP winning is a message that Taiwan still feels its future is with the United States, the West and democracy, and no opportunity for being reincorporated into China.”
