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DDP candidate William Lai casting his ballot in Tainan City
Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo / EPA
In the counting after the presidential election in Taiwan, the candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has taken the lead, according to initial surveys by local television stations. Former Vice President William Lai was ahead of the candidate of the pro-China Kuomintang (KMT), Hou Yu-ih, and the candidate of the populist Taiwan People's Party (TPP), Ko Wen-je.
Television stations saw the 64-year-old Lai at about 38 to 39 percent in the early evening (local time). His opponent Hou was behind with about 33 percent. A result is expected in the late evening (local time).
At the same time, the 19.5 million voters voted on the new parliament, the Legislative Yuan, in which the DPP had previously held an absolute majority. If the Progressive Party wins, it will be its third consecutive victory in presidential elections. The current president, Tsai Ing-wen, is not allowed to run again after two terms in office.
If the DPP were to become president again, China's Communist leadership is likely to continue the pressure on Taiwan. Beijing counts the island republic as part of China's territory, although Taiwan has had an independent and democratically elected government for decades. Beijing, which considers the pro-independence DPP to be separatist, has frozen contact with Taipei since President Tsai took office in 2016.
In the strait between China and Taiwan, which is important for global shipping, where the Chinese military sends fighter jets towards the island republic almost daily as a show of force, tensions could therefore persist or even increase. China wants a "reunification" of the island with the mainland, if necessary with military force.
hba/dpa