TAIPEI, Taiwan—The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has secured the presidency for another four years, a result that means Taiwan and the United States will likely continue to work closely as partners in the face of challenges from the regime in communist China.
The DPP presidential candidate, current Taiwan Vice President Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai, secured more than 5.5 million votes, or about 40 percent of the ballot, defeating two other candidates. His victory means that his running mate, Hsiao Bi-khim, who stepped down as Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the United States in November, will serve as vice president.
Hou Yu-ih, the current New Taipei City mayor and the presidential candidate of the main opposition Kuomintang Party (KMT), finished second with about 4.6 million votes. Ko Wen-je, the former mayor of Taipei and the presidential candidate of the Taiwan People’s Party, which was founded in 2019, was third with about 3.6 million votes.
“Taiwan has achieved a victory for the community of democracies,” Mr. Lai said in his victory speech.
“We are telling the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism we will stand on the side of democracy, the Republic of China, Taiwan will continue to walk side by side with democracies from around the world,” Mr. Lai said, using Taiwan’s official name.
“Through our actions, the Taiwanese people have successfully resisted efforts from external forces to influence this election,” he added, referring to China’s efforts to interfere in Taiwan’s elections. “We trust that only the people of Taiwan have the right to choose their own president.”
Mr. Lai emphasized that he will maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.
“As long as there is dignity and parity between two sides of the strait, Taiwan is very willing to engage in dialogues with China,” he added.
The president-elect also praised President Tsai Ing-wen, the current DPP chairwoman, saying that her foreign policy and national defense policy “have received recognition from the international community.”
“President Tsai has been extending goodwill [to China] many times in the past eight years. However, China did not provide the response that should have been there,” Mr. Lai said.
Ms. Tsai has been president since 2016, having won two four-year terms.
“So, in the future, we hope that China will recognize the new situation and understand that only peace benefits both sides of the strait,” he added. “In addition, global peace and stability depend upon the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait. Therefore, we hope that China will understand the situation because China also has a responsibility.”
Mr. Lai and Ms. Hsiao are scheduled to be inaugurated on May 20.
The elections came amid the backdrop of China’s increasing aggression and hostility against Taiwan, a self-ruled island that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) considers its territory and vows to “unify” with the mainland, using force if necessary. Meanwhile, Taiwan enjoys bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress for preserving its democracy and way of life.
Mr. Lai’s victory is likely upsetting to the Chinese regime, which traditionally favors KMT candidates. The KMT sees the regime as less threatening to Taiwan’s national security than the DPP does.
Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Chinese regime’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said in a statement that election results in Taiwan won’t change China’s resolve to reunite with Taiwan, saying Beijing’s “determination is as firm as a rock.”
Taiwanese voters also went to polls to choose legislators for Taiwan’s parliament. No party has won a majority—which means the DPP has lost the legislative majority it held under the Tsai administration.
Mr. Lai indicated before the elections that he would continue Ms. Tsai’s policies on foreign affairs, national defense, and cross-strait affairs.
‘Win for Democracy’
Outside DPP headquarters in Taipei, many of Mr. Lai supporters told The Epoch Times that his victory means so much for the island’s democracy.
“It’s a great victory for freedom and democracy. It means so much not only for Taiwan, but for Asia, and for the rest of the world. It is [a] refutation of [the] CCP’s influence and encroachment and military threats,” said Zhou Fenguo, executive director of the U.S.-based advocacy group Humanitarian China.
“I’m very happy that Taiwan people [have] again, proven that they can select their own government in a very peaceful way.”
Mr. Zhou praised Taiwan, saying the island “is a beacon for freedom and democracy in Asia.”
“It’s also a first line of defense against [the] CCP’s influence, which is the existential threat that America is facing now,” Mr. Zhou added.
Liao Yih-ming, vice president of customer application at a semiconductor company, said Mr. Lai’s victory means that Taiwan can continue its democracy.
“Mainland China is a threat ... And the other parties always want to unite [Taiwan] with them,” he stated.
Mr. Liao expressed hope that someday, China and democratic Taiwan can be good neighbors, just like the United States and Canada.
“We say no to [the] CCP and Xi Jinping,” Taiwanese lawyer Alex Tsai said. “It’s a win for democracy.”
Consequences
Several Taiwanese experts spoke to EpochTV’s “Crossroads” before the elections, providing their analysis of the different election outcomes.Lai I-chung, president of the Taiwan-based think tank Prospect Foundation, said that if Mr. Lai were to become the new president, it would signal to the world, including China, that Taiwan would continue to “stand very strong” with its partners.
“Taiwan will continue to uphold democracy, the human rights of freedom, [and] the rule-based international order,” the think tank president said. He warned that if he didn’t win Taiwan would become a loophole for China to obtain technologies and goods around U.S. sanctions.
Puma Shen, one of the DPP legislator-at-large nominees and director of the Graduate School of Criminology at Taiwan’s National Taipei University, said that a Lai victory would mean Taiwan will continue working with its friends and allies to deter China.
Mr. Shen emphasized that Taiwan would continue to face the risk of a CCP invasion. He said that CCP head Xi Jinping might be deceived by his own military officials, wrongfully believing that China would be guaranteed a victory if it were to attack Taiwan.
Mr. Shen said the election results on Jan. 13 wouldn’t be the most important issue regarding a potential invasion; rather, what matters is what’s happening domestically in China, he said.
US Support
Last week, the Biden administration confirmed its plans to send an unofficial delegation to Taiwan after the elections to meet with both the president-elect and other candidates. According to Kathleen Waters, the deputy spokesperson for the National Security Council, the delegation will include of former high-ranking officials.According to the language of the resolution, the Senate committed to “continuing a strong partnership across diplomatic, information, economic, and cultural domains, regardless of the outcome of Taiwan’s 2024 elections.”
The resolution was led by Mr. Sullivan and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). Their co-sponsors included Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
“Between the election on January 13th and the inauguration in May, the United States needs to show steady, unwavering commitment and resolve in support of Taiwan’s democracy and—critically—we need to enhance cross-strait deterrence now,” Mr. Sullivan said in a statement.
“Every Taiwan election threatens the central premise of the Chinese Communist Party—that one dictator ruling in perpetuity knows what’s best for 1.4 billion people,” Mr. Sullivan added. “Millions of Chinese on the mainland will be watching Taiwan’s upcoming election and asking the question, ‘Why can’t we do that?’ This is a giant vulnerability for Xi Jinping.”
Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Ami Bera (D-Calif.), and Andy Barr (R-Ky.), co-chairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, introduced a similar resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 10.
“Now more than ever, it is imperative that the United States stands in total solidarity with Taiwan and its commitment to democracy,” Mr. Connolly said in a statement on Jan. 10.
Mr. Connolly added, “In the face of relentless threats and intimidation from the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan’s leadership as a global leader in public health, advanced manufacturing, and democratic governance underscore the importance of protecting democratic institutions and rejecting authoritarianism at home and abroad.”
Mr. Díaz-Balart told The Epoch Times before the elections that support for Taiwan was “absolutely bipartisan” in Congress.
“I don’t think there’s confusion in Congress as to the nature of the Communist Party in China,” he said. “I would say it’s an aggressive, evil dictatorship that murders its own people, that threatens its neighbors, that tries to spread its influence through any means possible.”
