“I want to thank the people of Taiwan for writing a new chapter in our democracy.” These are the first words spoken by William Lai, the candidate who won the presidential election in Taiwan and challenged China. Beijing perceives him as a more “radical” figure than outgoing President Tsai because of her past public statements in favor of Taiwan independence.
“Taiwan has achieved a victory for the community of democracies,” the autonomist candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party added. We have shown how much we care about democracy, we will maintain peace.” This is a historic result for the country: Lai received his third consecutive presidential term for the first time. So how will China react?
Outlook on China: how will it react?
William Lai, the pro-autonomy candidate and current vice president of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), won the election in Taiwan. The main opposition and pro-China party’s candidate, Kuomintang Hou Yu-ih, conceded defeat, as did his other rival, TPP’s Ko Wen-je.
With more than 90% of the votes counted, Lai surpassed 5 million preferences with more than 40% of the vote. According to initial estimates, participation exceeded 70 percent, breaking a record.
Lai will be able to celebrate the result with his fans only when the counting is officially over. He drew attention to his victory speech.
Today’s vote is of great importance not only for Taiwan, but also for the whole world, as it will determine the regional stability of the island in the Pacific Ocean, which China claims as its own. The United States is watching the count very carefully, as the announcement of Taipei’s new leader could give Beijing an excuse for a wave of military maneuvers. But relations with Beijing are not the only problem; many Taiwanese are more concerned about domestic issues (we explained this here).
EU worried about possible tensions
“Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are fundamental elements of security and development in the region and globally,” the EU writes in a note congratulating Taipei on its public participation in the elections.
However, it “does not hide its concerns about rising tensions in the region and opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo. As the EU underlines, peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are fundamental elements for security and development in the region.” globally”.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
