Taiwan holds presidential election this weekend, outcome will impact strained China relation

Taiwan will hold elections Saturday for a new president and legislature, with the outcomes likely to impact its strained relationship with China.

Those running for president include current Vice President Lai Ching-te on the Democratic Progressive Party ticket, Hou Yu-ih of the Nationalist Party and former mayor of the capital Taipei, Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party.

Taiwan has increasingly tried to forge closer ties with Western nations, as China continues to state the position the island nations is a breakaway province that one day must be unified with the mainland.

As a result, China has continue. to flex its military might in the waters off Taiwan. And last month, China President Xi Jinping vowed that his country will be reunited with Taiwan and that his people will "prevent anyone from splitting" the self-governing island from mainland China.

Besides foreign policy concerns with China, Taiwan voters will be electing new leaders based on other concerning issues, such as affordable housing and unemployment, according to The Associated Press.

Candidates are expected to make their last appeals Friday and end campaigning at midnight.

The candidate with the most amount of votes will win, with no runoff.