The presidential candidate of Taiwan's largest opposition party vowed to restore stability in relations with China. Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang party spoke Tuesday in an NHK interview after arriving in Japan the previous day.

Hou is serving his second term as mayor of New Taipei City. He said the Koumintang party had a history of maintaining stable cross-strait relations while it was in power.

The popularity of the 66-year-old mayor in New Taipei has led to his candidacy in the next year's presidential election. The city has the largest number of eligible voters in Taiwan.

Ties with China are a key theme of the election. Hou expressed concern that the relationship is deteriorating.

Hou said, "Cross-strait relations are on the verge of war. If we are not careful, war will easily occur. As we are now facing such challenge, the first thing I should do as a candidate is ease tensions between the two sides."

Kuomintang under Ma Ying-jeou was the ruling party until 2016, when Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party took power.

Hou says that Ma's policy toward China was to not seek unification or independence or the use of force. He said that policy makes it possible to stabilize cross-strait relations.

Hou said, "We should adhere to the system of democracy and freedom, continue to enhance defense and military capabilities, and reduce confrontation through dialogue and relations between the two sides. This is the path we should take, and what I really intend to do."

About the relationship with Japan, Hou said the country is extremely important for the overall regional order of the Asia-Pacific. He says Taiwan maintains very close relations with Japan to play an important role in sustaining regional order.