Policy experts are still sorting through the details of President Biden's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation's leaders' meeting is catching global attention this week. But elsewhere in the region, there’s been another important political development.
In less than two months, Taiwan is holding a national election — and this week, there's a new twist.
The two leading opposition parties have agreed in principle to put their presidential candidates on a joint ticket.
While it's not yet clear exactly how this will work, there are two immediate points: one on international policy and the other on domestic polling.
Both opposition parties are in favor of resuming direct dialogue with the mainland Chinese government — a practice the Beijing government stopped after the ruling DPP party and current President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in Taiwan in 2016.
It's Tsai's vice president who is running to succeed her. He has no interest in resuming direct talks with Beijing and he's been leading in the polls.
The candidates for the opposition Kuomintang and the Taiwan Peoples' Party have been locked in a race for second place. But when combining their polling numbers, they would beat out the ruling DPP.
And this is where the uncertainty comes in: Which opposition politician will become the presidential candidate?
And will the choice translate to enough support to unseat the ruling party?
The campaign clock is ticking and the choice of a top candidate for the opposition will need to be made by the end of next week.
