Pro-independence Taiwan ruling party wins presidential election

New Delhi, January 13

Voters of Taiwan shrugged off warnings from China to hand the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) a third consecutive presidential victory on Saturday. Taiwan’s current vice president Lai Ching-te was declared the winner and his two main opposition rivals conceded defeat. However, reports said that the victory was bitter-sweet for the DPP as it lost majority in the Legislative Yuan.

Lai, known by his English name William Lai, also serves as the chairman of the DPP. A former physician, he entered politics in 1998 by becoming a legislator, a position he held for more than a decade.

“I want to thank the Taiwanese people for writing a new chapter in our democracy. We have shown the world how much we cherish our democracy. This is our unwavering commitment,’’ said Lai after the announcement.

“We are telling the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism, we will stand on the side of democracy. The Republic of China, Taiwan will continue to walk side by side with democracies from around the world,” he added.

Gallingly for China, the new vice president of Taiwan Hsiao Bi-khim was Taiwan’s Ambassador to the US. Results showed Lai with 41 per cent of the popular vote while his two main rivals trailed with 33 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively. Taiwan elections were traditionally a two-party race between DPP and Kuomintang, which like the Congress in India, ruled for a long stretch but now seems to have run out of vision. Lai and incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen reject China’s sovereignty claims over Taiwan, a former Japanese colony that split from the mainland amid civil war in 1949. They have, however, offered to speak with Beijing, which has repeatedly refused to hold talks and called them separatists. Beijing was believed to be favouring the China-friendly Kuomintang.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden said the US didn’t support the independence of Taiwan. The US is Taiwan’s most important backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties.

China terms him separatist leader

• In the run-up to the election, China had denounced Lai as a dangerous separatist, saying that any move towards Taiwan’s formal independence meant war.
• China, who views Lai as a separatist leader, has rebuffed his calls for talks. Lai pledges to defend the island, reiterating only its people can decide Taiwan’s future.
• The new vice-president of Taiwan will be Hsiao Bi-khim.

(With inputs from agencies)