Under China pressure, Taiwan Oppn choses new leader

Taipei: Taiwan's main opposition Nationalist Party chose former leader Eric Chu as its new chairperson Saturday in an election overshadowed by increasing pressure from neighbor China.

Four candidates, including incumbent chair Johnny Chiang, had competed for the leadership of the party that has advocated closer relations with Beijing. That means agreeing to Beijing's demand that it regard Taiwan as a part of China, something Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party has refused to do. China has threatened to use force to bring Taiwan under its control and has increasingly mobilized military, diplomatic and economic pressure in an attempt to undermine the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen and sway opinion among the Taiwanese people, who strongly favor the status quo of de-facto independence.