XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.politics.republicans, alt.politics.democrats.d
XPost: alt.politics.liberalism
Taiwan voters dismiss China warnings and hand ruling party a historic
third consecutive presidential win
By Eric Cheung, Wayne Chang, Nectar Gan and Jerome Taylor
CNN
Sat January 13, 2024
Updated 4:43 PM EST
Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party pulled off a historic
third consecutive presidential victory on Saturday as voters shrugged
off warnings by China that their re-election would increase the risk of conflict.
Lai Ching-te, Taiwan's current vice president, declared victory on
Saturday evening while his two opposition rivals both conceded defeat.
"This is a night that belongs to Taiwan. We managed to keep Taiwan on
the map of the world," Lai told thousands of jubilant supporters at a
rally after his win.
"The election has shown the world the commitment of the Taiwanese
people to democracy, which I hope China can understand," he added.
China responded soon after the vote by saying "Taiwan is part of China."
Lai's running mate Hsiao Bi-khim, who recently served as Taiwan's top
envoy to the United States, was elected Vice President.
The counting of votes has concluded, with Lai - the candidate of
Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) - receiving just
over 40% of the total votes, according to Taiwan's Central Election
Commission (CEC).
Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party candidate Hou Yu-ih garnered
33.49% of the votes, with Taiwan People's Party (TPP) candidate Ko
Wen-je received 26.45%. More than 14 million people took part, meaning
that voter turnout came in at just over 71%.
The boisterous election campaign, an illustration of Taiwan's vibrant democratic credentials, was fought over a mixture of livelihood issues
as well as the thorny question of how to deal with its giant one-party
state neighbor, China, which under leader Xi Jinping has grown more
powerful and bellicose.
The result shows voters backing the DPP's view that Taiwan is a de
facto sovereign nation that should bolster defenses against China's
threats and deepen relations with fellow democratic countries, even if
that means economic punishment or military intimidation by Beijing.
It is also a further snub to eight years of increasingly strongarm
tactics towards Taiwan under Xi who has vowed that the island's
eventual "reunification" with the mainland is "a historical
inevitability".
Following Taiwan's election result, a spokesperson for China's Ministry
of Foreign Affairs said no matter "whatever changes take place in
Taiwan, the basic fact that there is only one China in the world and
Taiwan is part of China will not change."
The spokesperson continued: "The one-China principle is the solid
anchor for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We believe that
the international community will continue to adhere to the one-China
principle and understand and support the Chinese people's just cause of opposing 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities and striving to
achieve national reunification."
A spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office earlier insisted the
election result "does not represent the mainstream view on the island."
Other world powers have congratulated Lai, with US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken saying the vote demonstrated "the strength of [Taiwan's]
robust democratic system and electoral process."
more at:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/13/asia/taiwan-presidential-election-results-intl-hnk/index.html
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)