Referendum in Taiwan: the failure of the Chinese Nationalist Party

General view of Taipei, the Taiwanese capital (illustrative image).

Wikimedia commons / Chensiyuan, edit by DXR

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The Kuomintang, the main opposition party, wanted to make the four popular initiative referendums a vote of no confidence against the pro-independence government of President Tsai Ing-wen.

But none of the polls attracted enough votes to be validated.

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With our correspondent in Taipei,

The Chinese Nationalist Party had made these referendums a vote of no confidence in the policy of the Taiwanese government, which it accuses in particular of wanting to get too close to its American partner.

A total of four questions were put to some 19 million Taiwanese voters.

Technical questions, relating in particular to the import of American meat or the construction of a gas terminal in northern

.

# Taiwan's referendum results tonight: ruling # DPP's complete victory.

1. Nuclear power plant will remain shut.

2. #US pork🇺🇸🐷 import will continue;

3. Future referendum won't be bundled with elections.

4. DPP plan to build offshore natural gas terminal will continue.

pic.twitter.com/VmHSoeW84t

- Wen-Ti Sung 宋文 笛 (@wentisung) December 18, 2021

But with only 41% turnout, no referendum attracted enough votes to be validated.

Worse, the government's position was even reinforced in each of the four ballots.

Today the #Taiwanese people voted in a referendum, showing their support for increasing our country's engagement with the international community.

I want to thank everyone for participating in this democratic exercise, whether you voted for or against the questions.

pic.twitter.com/HZmz83ZZYw

- 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) December 18, 2021

Chinese propaganda in support of the Kuomintang

These results are a real setback for the Kuomintang but also for Beijing.

According to the Taiwanese research group IORG, Chinese propaganda had indeed stepped in

.

The next test for the ruling party is expected on January 9.

The deputy Freddy Lim, famous rocker known for his independence positions, is targeted by a recall referendum.

A poll also at the initiative of the Chinese Nationalist Party. 

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