China calls Taiwan's 2024 election a choice between peace and war. Here's what to know.

Taipei, Taiwan — On Saturday, the people of Taiwan will elect a new president. For weeks, the leading candidates have staged boisterous campaign rallies across the small island off China's east coast. Addressing cheering supporters, they've made promises, ridiculed the opposition and worked the crowds — all visible proof of Taiwan's vibrant, thriving democracy. 

But one sobering presence loomed large over the campaign: Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Xi claims Taiwan belongs to China, and he's vowed to assert control over it — leaving open the option of using force. In his 2024 New Year's address, he insisted that reunification after more than seven decades was a "historical inevitability."