TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan achieved a victory for democracy and successfully blocked foreign interference, presidential election winner Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Saturday (Jan. 13).
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate received more than 5.5 million votes, or 40%, with Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) receiving 4.6 million votes or 33%, and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chair Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) ending with 3.6 million votes or 26%. Lai’s victory was the first time the same party had won three consecutive presidential elections since direct votes started in 1996.
The significance of the election result was threefold, he said in his victory speech:
- Taiwan had told the world it stood on the side of democracy in the struggle between authoritarianism and democracy, per CNA.
- Voters took action to prevent foreign interference because everyone believed in the message that people needed to choose their own president.
- The result showed that the country was moving ahead in the right direction, and would not deviate from its path or turn back.
Taiwan’s election was the first in a year to be marked by several important votes across the world, and resulted in the first victory for the democratic camp, Lai said. The president-elect thanked voters for writing a new page in Taiwan’s history together, the Liberty Times reported.
Revealing that he had received congratulatory phone calls from his two rivals, he said he hoped their parties would all cooperate at the new Legislative Yuan for the benefit of the nation.
Lai, 64, and his running mate, former envoy in the United States Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), 52, will be sworn in on May 20 for a four-year term. The new Legislative Yuan takes office on Feb. 1.
