Taiwan election 2024: Voters dismiss China warnings as Lai wins presidential election

Taiwan’s ruling party Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te won an election on Saturday as Taiwanese voters shrugged off warnings by China that their re-election would increase the risk of conflict.

Lai Ching-te, who is Taiwan’s current vice president, was declared victory on Saturday evening when his two opposition rivals both conceded defeat, report CNN and Reuters.

After his win, Lai told thousands of jubilant supporters at a rally that we managed to keep Taiwan on the map of the world.

“I hope China can understand that the election has shown the world the commitment of the Taiwanese people to democracy,” he said.

Lai’s running mate Hsiao Bi-khim was elected vice president. Hsiao recently served as Taiwan’s top envoy to the United States.

According to Taiwan’s Central Election Commission (CEC), the counting of votes has concluded, with Lai receiving just over 40% of the total votes.

In the election, voter turnout came in at just over 71% as over 14 million people took part. Of the votes, Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party candidate Hou Yu-ih garnered 33.49% while Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) candidate Ko Wen-je received 26.45%.

The result shows that Taiwan is a de facto sovereign republic that should fortify its defenses against Chinese threats and expand links with other democratic countries.

The election result, according to a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, “does not represent the mainstream view on the island.”

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