Taiwan held it's 7th presidential election today. The winner is Tsai Ing-wen, candidate for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
In the evening hours of Saturday January 11th, Incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen's most serious challenger, Han Kuo-yu, conceded defeat. Some time afterwards Tsai announced her victory in front of her party's headquarters in Taiwan's capital city, Taipei. Her speech focused on mutual respect between China and Taiwan, and the need for real peaceful dialogue without threats and acts of intimidation.
This election was largely regarded as a referendum on closer ties with China. Incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen was the candidate for the DPP which espouses pro-independence policies for the de facto independent island nation. Han Kuo-yu, her biggest contender, represented the KMT which seeks to strengthen cross strait ties with its communist neighbor to the west.
Tsai oversaw a landslide victory, garnering some 8 million votes, and almost 60% of the electorate - the largest mandate by any president in Taiwan's short democratic history. The election results closely mirrored recent opinion polls which had projected a sizeable win for Tsai. However, her victory was not always a foregone conclusion. Early last year rival, and pro-beijing candidate, Han Kuo-yu had been outperforming Tsai consistently in opinion polls. However, Han's popularity began to tank after the once peaceful Hong Kong democracy protests devolved into chaos, and the "one country, two systems" approach came under intense international scrutiny.
This victory for the pro-independence party no doubt represents a tangible loss in Chinese influence in the South China sea. This election was largely split along generational lines with the young, who predominantly identify as Taiwanese, voting for Tsai; and the older generation, many of whom still have ties to the mainland and view themselves as Chinese, voting for Han. Some commentators believe this may be the last election with a serious pro-beijing challenger, as demographics shift in the next 4 to 8 years - and the current older generation makes up a smaller proportion of the overall population, it's hard to see a pro-beijing stance returning to the island. Some hawkish voices in Beijing now see the only practical path towards unification through military intervention. Chinese state media has yet to report an official response to the election results.
What are your thoughts on the matter?
DId Taiwan make the right choice? or should Taiwan pursue a "one country, two systems" policy similar to Hong Kong?
In the evening hours of Saturday January 11th, Incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen's most serious challenger, Han Kuo-yu, conceded defeat. Some time afterwards Tsai announced her victory in front of her party's headquarters in Taiwan's capital city, Taipei. Her speech focused on mutual respect between China and Taiwan, and the need for real peaceful dialogue without threats and acts of intimidation.
This election was largely regarded as a referendum on closer ties with China. Incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen was the candidate for the DPP which espouses pro-independence policies for the de facto independent island nation. Han Kuo-yu, her biggest contender, represented the KMT which seeks to strengthen cross strait ties with its communist neighbor to the west.
Tsai oversaw a landslide victory, garnering some 8 million votes, and almost 60% of the electorate - the largest mandate by any president in Taiwan's short democratic history. The election results closely mirrored recent opinion polls which had projected a sizeable win for Tsai. However, her victory was not always a foregone conclusion. Early last year rival, and pro-beijing candidate, Han Kuo-yu had been outperforming Tsai consistently in opinion polls. However, Han's popularity began to tank after the once peaceful Hong Kong democracy protests devolved into chaos, and the "one country, two systems" approach came under intense international scrutiny.
This victory for the pro-independence party no doubt represents a tangible loss in Chinese influence in the South China sea. This election was largely split along generational lines with the young, who predominantly identify as Taiwanese, voting for Tsai; and the older generation, many of whom still have ties to the mainland and view themselves as Chinese, voting for Han. Some commentators believe this may be the last election with a serious pro-beijing challenger, as demographics shift in the next 4 to 8 years - and the current older generation makes up a smaller proportion of the overall population, it's hard to see a pro-beijing stance returning to the island. Some hawkish voices in Beijing now see the only practical path towards unification through military intervention. Chinese state media has yet to report an official response to the election results.
What are your thoughts on the matter?
DId Taiwan make the right choice? or should Taiwan pursue a "one country, two systems" policy similar to Hong Kong?
Last edited by x65943,
