TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former premier William Lai (賴清德) brushed aside the strife surrounding his bid to seek the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential nomination and insisted on following primary procedures on Thursday (May 9).

Lai made his remarks in an interview after breakfast with members of the Taiwanese community in Japan. He was in the country on a five-day visit to meet old friends and present a report at the invitation of the group, reported UDN.

The DPP politician noted that he received a warm welcome and support from the Taiwanese group at the breakfast meeting. He reiterated his stance on competing with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in a fair and democratic process that he believes will boost party morale and solidarity.

Lai circumvented questions raised by the media about the controversy over his and Tsai’s campaign back home in Taiwan, stressing that he was focused on delivering his address and catching up with old acquaintances in Japan, the report said.

During his stint as Tainan mayor, Lai made 14 trips to Japan and received 157 groups of Japanese visitors. Lai added he will meet with a number of Liberal Democratic Party figures for lunch, including Hajime Sasaki (佐佐木紀) and Shunsuke Takei (武井俊輔), from the party’s Local Junior Chamber, according to UDN.