A new year brings differing visions of cross strait relations between China and Taiwan.

Welcome to VOA Asia Weekly. I'm Chris Casquejo in Washington. That story is just ahead, but first, making headlines:

Transport officials and police in Japan began separate investigations at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Wednesday after a large passenger plane and a Japanese coast guard aircraft collided on the runway and burst into flames Tuesday evening, killing five people aboard the coast guard plane.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the country was at a "critical moment" Wednesday, as the search for victims following a deadly earthquake continued. A series of powerful earthquakes on Monday that hit western Japan left at least 84 people dead, as rescue workers fought to save those feared trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday condemned an attack on opposition leader Lee Jae-myung as an act of terrorism during his meeting with government officials and religious leaders. Lee was stabbed in the neck on Tuesday while walking through a crowd of journalists and others after a tour of a proposed new airport site in Busan.

Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai pleaded not guilty Tuesday to criminal charges accusing him of violating national security laws. The 76-year-old Lai has been charged with two counts of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to print seditious publications. Lai founded the now defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and was one of the most prominent Hong Kong critics of China's Communist Party leadership, including President Xi Jinping.

China's BYD has overtaken U.S. electric vehicle giant Tesla as the world's leading electric vehicle seller, according to recent sales figures. The Chinese company announced sales of 526,409 all-electric cars in the fourth quarter of 2023 -- surpassing Tesla's 484,507 in the same period.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has renewed his threat to take over the democratic island of Taiwan, while Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called for peaceful coexistence with Beijing. The new year comments come just ahead of the Taiwan presidential election that could have a big impact on China-Taiwan relations. VOA’s Bill Gallo reports from Taipei.

Ringing in the new year in Taiwan. A festive mood. But plenty of uncertainty ahead of an election that will shape the future of this democratic island.

In a new year speech, President Tsai Ing-wen called for Taiwan to safeguard peace and democracy.

“We also hope the two sides will jointly seek a long-term and stable way of peaceful coexistence under peace, parity, democracy and dialogue."

In Beijing, a different vision. President Xi Jinping renewed China’s threat to take over Taiwan.

“China will surely be reunified, and all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."

On the streets of Taipei, there’s virtually no appetite for what Xi is proposing.

“I don’t want to be a part of China. I think of myself as Taiwanese. I’m not Chinese.”

“For me, Taiwan is Taiwan, China is China. It’s too different.”

“I think China is China, and Taiwan is Taiwan // I feel right now it is good. We don’t need to do any change.”

Next week, Taiwan holds a general election. The ruling party candidate holds a slight lead over his opposition rival. The opposition has traditionally supported closer ties with Beijing.

But that position has gotten much harder to maintain, as China increases its military threats against Taiwan.

In recent months, Chinese military aircraft and ships have come closer than ever to Taiwan – a reminder of danger on the horizon.

Bill Gallo, VOA News, Taipei, Taiwan.

Visit voanews.com for the most up-to-date stories.

I’m Chris Casquejo.

Finally, a South Korean zoo unveiled new baby panda twins on Wednesday before their official debut to the public.

The twin cubs, Rui Bao and Hui Bao, were presented to zoo visitors starting Thursday as the youngest members of the panda family at amusement park “Everland” south of Seoul.

They will only be seen in public a few hours every morning with their mother panda Ai Bao until they get used to the exposure, Everland officials said.

The twins, both female, were born at the amusement park in July. In 2020 their sibling, Fu Bao, was the first panda to be born in South Korea.

Thanks for watching VOA Asia Weekly.