TAIPEI -- Taiwanese voters on Saturday handed the island's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) a third straight presidency -- the first since democratic polls for the leadership were introduced in 1996.
In a tight three-way race, Lai Ching-te defeated Hou Yu-ih of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je of the upstart populist Taiwan People's Party (TPP).
Lai is likely to continue the policies of incumbent Tsai Ing-wen and seek to maintain the status quo with China over the next four years after he takes office in May.
Nikkei has the official results from Taiwan's Central Election Commission here.
Here's how the night unfolded:
Sunday, Jan. 14 (Taiwan time)
4:30 a.m. Canada congratulates the Taiwanese people on the conclusion of the presidential elections, saying it looks forward to advancing people-to-people, science, trade and investment ties.
Saturday, Jan. 13
11:46 p.m. U.S. President Joe Biden says Washington does not support Taiwan's independence following the ruling party's victory in the presidential poll.
"We do not support independence," Biden said when asked for reaction.
11:00 p.m. Chen Binhua, spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, says the results of the presidential and legislative elections show the Democratic Progressive Party "cannot represent the mainstream public opinion on the island." The DPP won the presidency, thanks in part to a fractured opposition, while it lost control of the legislature.
"Taiwan is China's Taiwan. This election cannot change the basic pattern and development direction of cross-strait relations, nor can it change the common desire of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to get closer and closer, nor can it stop the general trend that the motherland will eventually be reunified."
10:35 p.m. Moscow continues to view Taiwan as an integral part of China, the Russian Foreign Ministry says in a statement after Lai is declared the winner.
10:15 p.m. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa releases a statement congratulating Lai on his victory.
"For Japan, Taiwan is an extremely crucial partner and an important friend, with which it shares fundamental values and enjoys close economic relations and people to people exchanges. The Government of Japan will work toward further deepening cooperation and exchanges between Japan and Taiwan, based on its position to maintain working relationship on the non-governmental basis," she says.
"We expect that the issue surrounding Taiwan will be resolved peacefully through dialogue, thereby contributing to the peace and stability in the region."
9:30 p.m. Ling Tao, spokesman for the KMT, spoke to the media earlier after Hou departed the party's venue. He harshly criticized the TPP for missing the opportunity to bring down the ruling DPP, as opposition candidates collectively won 60% of the votes.
He stressed that if the two main opposition parties had formed an alliance, as they considered at one point, a change of power would have been possible. The TPP "will have to apologize to the entire Taiwanese people," he said.
9:20 p.m. Here are some other remarks from Lai, including praise for his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen.
"In the past eight years President Tsai had a very steady foreign policy and national defense policy. Her way of doing things has received recognition from the international community," he says. "So according to the constitutional order of the Republic of China, I will conduct cross strait affairs according to that system, so that cross strait relations can return to a healthy and sustainable way of exchanges."
He also touches on Taiwan's critical semiconductor industry, promising to "continue to assist" its development, which would "benefit the global economy" as well.
"The advancement of the semiconductor industry is actually the result of division of labor around the world," he says. "So not only Taiwan needs to cherish this achievement, China and other countries must also cherish this industry."
8:45 p.m. In declaring victory, Lai thanks the people of Taiwan "for writing a new chapter in our democracy."
Speaking to reporters, he credits his rivals Hou and Ko with "demonstrating the spirit of democracy" and stresses that Taiwan resisted outside interference. "We elected our own president," he says.
Lai says that as leader, he has a responsibility to "maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait." And he says the results show Taiwan will "continue to walk side by side with democracies from around the world," a key point of the DPP's campaign.
8:20 p.m. Ko of the upstart TPP follows Hou in conceding defeat to Lai. "We will definitely rule four years later," Ko says.
8:10 p.m. Speaking at the same outdoor venue in New Taipei City where he held his final rally the day before, the KMT's Hou congratulates Lai but vows to make himself and the party a force to "closely monitor" the DPP and new president.
Hou swiftly leaves without taking questions from the media.
Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih greets party supporters as votes are counted in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on Jan. 13.
© AP
8 p.m. Hou arrives at KMT headquarters and, with a deep bow to supporters, concedes defeat.
7:40 p.m. Incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen is due to arrive at the DPP's campaign headquarters in Taipei at 8:15 p.m., and Lai is now expected to meet the press at 8:20 p.m., according to Formosa TV.
7:15 p.m. The Central Election Commission says 74% of the 17,795 voting stations have been counted. Lai leads with 41.57% of ballots, followed by Hou at 33.15% and Ko at 25.28%.
A woman looks on as supporters of the Kuomintang (KMT) wait for results of the presidential and parliamentary elections in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on Jan. 13.
6:50 p.m. About half the 17,795 voting stations have been counted by the Central Election Commission, with Lai leading at 41.9%. Hou is in second at 33.15% while Ko trails at 24.95%.
6:20 p.m. Lai continues to hold a modest lead in the early counting, tracked by Taiwan's broadcasters.
TVBS reports that the DPP candidate has racked up 3,053,796 votes, followed by Hou with 2,560,662 and Ko with 2,092,315. Formosa TV shows Lai with 3,319,162 votes, followed by Hou with 2,702,903 and Ko with 2,260,172. Again, these are not official numbers and there is still time for the picture to change significantly.
Officially, the Central Election Commission has counted more than 2.4 million ballots so far. Out of those, Lai is leading at 42.92%, followed by Hou at 33.17% and Ko at 23.90%.
The TPP leader Ko is expected to speak to supporters by 8 p.m. local time. Lai is due to hold a news conference at 8:30 p.m.
People pray at a temple that was used as a polling station in New Taipei City on Jan. 13.
© AP
5:30 p.m. Taiwan's broadcasters show Lai maintaining his modest lead in the early counting.
TVBS gives the ruling DPP's candidate 2,866,366 votes, followed by Hou with 2,402,750 and Ko with 1,973,719. Formosa TV shows Lai with 3,155,514 votes, followed by Hou with 2,580,530 and Ko with 2,163,934. These are not official numbers, which are coming in at a slower pace and can be found here.
According to local TV station SETN, the election's turnout rate is projected to be 69%, which would be lower than the 74.9% recorded for the previous polls in 2020.
5:15 p.m. Lai is expected to arrive at DPP headquarters at 7.30 p.m and host a news conference at 8.30 p.m., according to broadcaster TVBS.
5 p.m. Lai holds a slim lead in the very early counting. TVBS has him at 2,143,589 votes, followed by Hou with 1,813,741 and Ko with 1,517,460. Politically, the broadcaster leans toward the KMT.
DPP-leaning Formosa TV shows Lai with 2,429,677 votes, followed by Hou with 2,014,037 and Ko with 1,722,745. These are not official numbers and there are still plenty of uncounted ballots left.
4:30 p.m. The numbers keep streaming in. KMT-leaning broadcaster TVBS has Lai in the lead with 779,108 votes, followed by Hou with 671,474 and Ko with 612,032.
DPP-leaning Formosa TV shows Lai with 874,048 votes, followed by Hou with 735,713 and Ko with 678,786. There's still a long way to go.
4:15 p.m. Local TV station TVBS reports that Lai leads with 160,162 votes, followed by Ko with 140,841 and Hou with 137,572. Politically, TVBS leans toward the KMT.
Another channel, Formosa TV, shows Lai with 170,612 votes, followed by Ko with 144,650 and Hou with 143,198. Formosa TV leans toward the DPP.
But it's early. Many ballots are still to be counted from Taiwan's 19.56 million eligible voters.
4 p.m. It's closing time at polling stations -- and time to start counting ballots.
Around midday, turnout rates of about 45% were reported in key cities including Hsinchu, Tainan and Taichung. Many expect the eventual voting rate will at least surpass 70%. Last time, in the 2020 election, turnout reached 74.9%.
3 p.m. Just an hour to go now until the end of voting. While we wait, here are some photos taken on election day.
People walk through a street market in New Taipei City, Taiwan on Jan. 13.
© Reuters
Taiwanese board a train inside a station in Tainan city, Taiwan, on Jan. 13. People have to vote where their registered domicile address is, meaning that transport networks are busy on election day.
© EPA/Jiji
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen casts her vote during the presidential election in Taipei on Jan. 13. (Photo by DPP/Getty Images)
1 p.m. Three hours to go until the polls close. Results will be coming through the evening.
10:30 a.m. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with senior Chinese official Liu Jianchao in Washington, the State Department said in a statement. Blinken "reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea."
9:40 a.m. Taiwan's defense ministry pointed to more Chinese military aircraft and vessels coming near Taiwan. The ministry also said, according to Reuters, that on Saturday morning it had again spotted Chinese balloons crossing the Taiwan Strait, one of which flew over Taiwan itself.
8:30 a.m. Presidential candidates cast their ballots in their home constituencies
Lai voted in the southern city of Tainan. He told reporters that the weather was nice and encouraged people to come out and vote. He said he had a series of meetings to hold after voting.
The TPP's Ko voted together with his wife, while his running mate Cynthia Wu also cast a ballot in her residential district around 8am. Both are in Taipei. Ko said it was good weather and the turnout is expected to be better in this case.
The KMT's Hou Yu-ih has cast his votes in New Taipei City. He said that there may have a lot of disturbances during the election process, but after the election everyone must unite to bring Taiwan together. He added that after his final rally last night, his three daughters bought a huge bag of Taiwanese fried chicken and they talked and ate till midnight.
His running mate Jaw Shaw-kang voted alongside Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an. Jaw said he had slept well. He also asked more voters to cast votes, calling it the responsibility of everyone to decide their future.
Incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen said democracy is hard-earned, and encouraged people to cast votes, saying it is their right and obligation. DPP vice president candidate Hsiao Bi-khim went to vote in New Taipei City, after accompanying president Tsai earlier. Hsiao at first she forgot to bring her ID and quickly asked her aide to pick it up for her.
DPP candidate Lai Ching-te votes at the polling station in Tainan, Taiwan, on Jan. 13. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
The TPP candidate Ko Wen-je walks into a voting booth to cast his ballot in Taipei on Jan.13.
© Reuters
Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih waves on his arrival at a polling station in New Taipei City, Taiwan on Jan. 13.
© AP
7 a.m. At a regular press conference in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was asked how the election may affect relations between China and Taiwan.
In line with Beijing's view that it is a domestic matter, she responded: "The elections of the Taiwan region are China's internal affairs. Regardless of the result, it will not change the basic fact that Taiwan is part of China and there is only one China in the world."
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2024-01-14 05:42:00Z
CBMiYGh0dHBzOi8vYXNpYS5uaWtrZWkuY29tL1BvbGl0aWNzL1RhaXdhbi1lbGVjdGlvbnMvVGFpd2FuLWVsZWN0aW9ucy1sYXRlc3QtSG93LXRoZS1uaWdodC11bmZvbGRlZNIBAA
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