Polls Open in Taiwan Elections as Citizens Vote under China's Shadow

Millions of Taiwanese headed to the polls Saturday for a presidential election, following threats from China that choosing the wrong leader could set the stage for war on the self-ruled island. Beijing slammed frontrunner Lai Ching-te, the current vice president, as a dangerous "separatist" in the days leading up to the poll, warning voters to make "the correct choice" if they want to avoid military conflict. Communist China claims self-ruled Taiwan, separated from the mainland by a 180-kilometre (110-mile) strait, as its own and says it will not rule out using force to bring about "unification", even if conflict does…