Taiwan Ruling Party’s Lai Wins Presidential Election in Upset to China 

William Lai Ching-te from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won Taiwan’s presidential election.

Lai, the current vice president, was in a three-way race with Hou Yu-ih from the conservative Kuomintang (KMT) and Ko Wen-je from the Taiwan People’s Party.

Hou conceded defeat on Saturday and congratulated Lai on his victory. He also apologised to KMT supporters for not being able to oust the DPP.

Voters also elected lawmakers to Taiwan’s 113-seat legislature in elections closely watched by China and the United States.

Taiwan’s election carries an outsized importance because of the territory’s disputed political status. While de facto independent since the 1940s, China still claims the island and its outlying territories and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its ambitions.

China has previously said that Lai would be a threat to peace in the region if he wins, and called the polls a choice between war and peace.

Taiwan is a democratic island that governs itself – but it is claimed by mainland China and has no international recognition as a country.

A total of 113 legislative seats were also being contested.

Lai has said he is committed to peace in the region and open to conditional engagement with Beijing.

In the run-up to the election, China denounced Lai as a dangerous separatist, saying that any moves towards Taiwan’s formal independence meant war, and rebuffed Lai’s calls for talks.

Lai says he is committed to preserving peace and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and boosting the island’s defences.