Lai, Taiwan's vice president and the candidate for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has consistently led the majority of opinion polls ahead of the January election.
"I will support the cross-strait status quo - which is in the best interests of both the Republic of China, as Taiwan is formally known, and the international community.
Lai is expected to visit the United States next month, according to diplomatic sources, as presidential candidates traditionally do, to discuss their policy agenda.
Beijing views her as a separatist for refusing to accept the Chinese position that Taiwan and China are part of "one China".
Both Tsai and Lai say that the Republic of China, Taiwan's formal name, is already an independent state, despite only 13 countries formally recognising it.
Persons:
William Lai, Tsai Ing, Lai, Tsai, Mao Zedong's, Ben Blanchard, Gerry Doyle
Organizations:
Democratic Progressive Party, Beijing, Thomson
Locations:
TAIPEI, Taiwan, China, Republic of China, United States, Beijing, People's Republic of China