Taiwan Election Result: New President-Elect, Lai Ching-te Says, “Voters Show World ‘How Much We Cherish Democracy.’ “
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The recent presidential election in Taiwan, held on January 13, 2024, concluded with the victory of Lai Ching-te from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Lai, who was the incumbent vice president, emerged triumphant in a three-way race, securing 40.1% of the votes. His main competitors were Hou Yu-ih from the conservative Kuomintang (KMT) and Ko Wen-je from the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). Both Hou and Ko conceded defeat following the results.
In his victory speech, Lai Ching-te expressed gratitude to the Taiwanese people for “writing a new chapter in our democracy.” He emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to democracy over authoritarianism and expressed a desire for “healthy and orderly” exchanges with China, based on dignity and parity. Lai’s win signifies a continuation of the DPP’s governance, which has been in power for the past eight years under President Tsai Ing-wen.
The election has drawn significant attention due to the complex political dynamics involving Taiwan and China. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, responded to Lai’s victory by reiterating its commitment to the “one-China” principle and its opposition to “Taiwan independence” activities. Lai has been criticized by Beijing as a separatist and a threat to regional peace. Nonetheless, Lai maintains his commitment to peace and conditional engagement with Beijing while also focusing on strengthening Taiwan’s defenses.
The election was closely monitored internationally, including by the United States. U.S. President Joe Biden, while not supporting Taiwan’s independence, has indicated U.S. support for whichever government emerges in Taiwan.
This election underlines the ongoing tension between Taiwan’s self-identification as a democratic, self-governing entity and China’s claims over the island. It also highlights the challenges Taiwan faces in balancing its domestic aspirations with the geopolitical pressures from its giant neighbor.
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In Taiwan, the ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te has won the presidential election giving his party, the DPP, an unprecedented third term. Lai took a comfortable lead early in the vote count ahead of his nearest rival in the opposition KMT. China claims Taiwan as its territory and in the run-up to the election called Lai a “dangerous separatist.“ The DPP champions Taiwan’s separate identity and rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty over the island. For more on this, we talk to Bonnie Glaser. She is the Managing Director for the Indo-Pacific at the German Marshall Fund and joins us from Washington D.C. And we talk to DW’s chief international editor Richard Walker, who joins us from Taiwan’s capital Taipei, in the video published on January 13, 2024, by DW News, as “Taiwan: Ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te wins presidential election| DW News“, below:
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Lai delivered an unprecedented third consecutive term for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after a raucous campaign in which he pitched himself as the defender of Taiwan’s democratic way of life. But communist China, which claims Taiwan as its own, has in the past slammed Lai as a “severe danger” and views him as “as being even more anti-Beijing than Tsai Ing-wen”, says FRANCE 24 correspondent Yena Lee. “The fact of the matter is Beijing despises the party he works for,” she adds, reporting live from Beijing, in the video published on January 13, 2024, by FRANCE 24 English, as “How Chinese leadership sees Taiwan president-elect Lai Ching-te. FRANCE 24 English“, below:
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Ruling-party candidate Lai Ching-te has emerged victorious in Taiwan’s presidential election, and his opponents have conceded after a tight three-way race. The election has been closely watched by Beijing and Washington, D.C., with China recently warning that the election’s frontrunner could set the stage for war. CBS News’ Elizabeth Palmer has more from Taipei, in the video published on January 13, 2024, by CBS Mornings, as “Ruling-party candidate Lai Ching-te has emerged victorious in Taiwan’s presidential election“, below:
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The winner of Taiwan’s presidential election has said voters have shown the world “how much we cherish democracy” after his party, which champions autonomy from China, secured a third term. Lai Ching-te, the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), is set to replace Tsai Ing-wen, who has served the limit of two terms. It is the first time a party has secured a third term under Taiwan’s current electoral system, in the video published on January 13, 2024, by Sky News, as “Taiwan election: Voters show world ‘how much we cherish democracy.’ says new president“, below:
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ABC News’ Britt Clennett is in Taiwan as voters ready to head to the polls to decide which presidential candidate is best to handle China’s threats, in the video published on January 12, 204, by ABC News, as “Taiwan’s voters: ‘Nobody wants ar, nobody wants to fight’“, below:
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Taiwan is headed into elections on January 13 to select a new president and legislature. The island is a self-governing democracy, but China claims Taiwan as its own and has been running more military exercises near the island. Meanwhile, the U.S. is legally obliged to supply Taiwan with enough arms to defend itself, which makes Taiwan a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. From the outside, geopolitics seems like a key in this election. But in Taiwan, many voters, particularly young ones, are focused on other issues. Our China correspondent Jennifer Pak spoke to some young voters ahead of the election in Taipei, in the video published on January 12, 2024, by Marketplace APM, as “What’s the Economic Mood Among Taiwan’s Young Voters?|Marketplace“, below:
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As the dust settles after Taiwan’s presidential election, many are wondering what comes next. NHK World reporters in Taipei and Beijing explain how Lai Ching-te’s presidency will shape relations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, in the video published on Jan 15, 2024, by NHK WORLD-JAPAN, as “What comes next after Taiwan’s presidential election-NHK WORLD-Japan NEWS“, below:
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Taiwan is losing one of its few remaining diplomatic allies following the election of ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te in Saturday’s presidential election. The government of Nauru, a small island state northeast of Australia, says it will no longer recognize Taiwan as a separate country but as part of China’s territory. Beijing welcomed Nauru’s diplomatic switch in favor of China. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory. The Nauru flag was removed from the diplomatic quarter in Taiwan, just days after the election of a new President, in the video published on Jan 15, 2024, by DW News, as “Why is Taiwan shedding diplomatic allies?| DW News“, below:
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For decades, Taiwan has looked to its east coast as a safe haven to survive a Chinese invasion until allies, particularly the U.S., can arrive to assist. In the east, Taiwan’s rugged mountain terrain also helps create a natural shield in the event of an attack. But China’s PLA activity on the island’s east has thrown that strategy into question. WSJ takes a look at how serious China’s threats to Taiwan’s east coast are and explores whether the island needs to change its defense strategy, in the video published on Aug 15, 2023, by The Wall Street Journal, as “Inside Taiwan’s Strategy to Counter a Chinese Invasion |WSJ“, below:
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Kuo Chiu, known as KC to his friends, teaches urban design at Tunghai University in Taiwan. He’s also one of many of the country’s citizens who practises rifle skills in his spare time, in case of a Chinese invasion. The population of Taiwan has long grown familiar with Beijing’s pledge to one day ‘unify’ what it claims is a breakaway province. But recently, there has been a significant increase in aggressive and intimidatory acts. Taiwan’s 160,000 active military personnel are vastly outnumbered by China’s 2 million-member armed forces, leading many civilians to turn to voluntary medical and combat training to protect themselves. The Guardian’s video team spent time with KC to see how he is preparing, in the video published on Jan 9, 2024, by The Guardian, as “The Taiwanese civilians training for a Chinese invasion“, below:
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Unreported World meets Taiwan’s ‘preppers’ determined to defend their country against a Chinese invasion. Krishnan Guru-Murthy follows civilians learning how to shoot weapons and save lives, as the Island prepares to protect its way of life, in the video published on Nov 12, 2023, by Unreported World, as “Taiwan – Prepping for War| Unreported World“, below:
Gathered, written, and posted by Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker More about the community at www.WindermereSun.com
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