Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party won a decisive victory in the hotly contested presidential election as tensions continue to simmer between the island nation and China.
Current vice president Lai Ching-te declared victory on Friday evening as voters flouted warnings from the Chinese Communist Party that electing Lai would increase the risk of conflict.
“We are telling the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism, we still stand on the side of democracy,” Lai said in his victory speech.
The race was a three-way contest between the conservative Kuomintang party and the Tawain People’s Party, which was founded in 2019.
According to the Taiwanese Central Election Commission, Lai took 40.2% of the vote. The conservative party candidate captured 33.4% of the vote.
Lai said he will act to maintain “the cross-strait status quo” but will also “safeguard Taiwan from continuing threats and intimidation from China.”
Saturday’s elections mark the third consecutive presidential win for the pro-independence DPP, which in part comes from increasingly aggressive tactics from Beijing.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping has continuously vowed to usher in the island’s “reunification” with the mainland, saying it is “historically inevitable.”
“In the future, we hope that China will recognize the new situation, and understand that only peace benefits both sides of the strait,” Lai said.
