Taiwan votes in key election, China eying results

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Jan 2024 06:59

As well as a president, voters will also elect lawmakers to Taiwan's 113-seat legislature.

Taiwan's Vice President and presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Lai Ching-te cast his ballot as he votes in the presidential election at a polling station in a high school in Tainan on January 13, 2024. (Photo by Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP)

Millions of Taiwanese headed to the polls Saturday for a presidential election, with China eying the results that could determine of the new nature of relations between the two sides.

Beijing slammed frontrunner Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the current vice president, as a dangerous "separatist" in the days leading up to the poll, calling on voters to make "the correct choice" if they want to avoid military conflict.

China claims Taiwan as its own and says it will not rule out using force to bring about "unification". Chinese President Xi Jinping in a recent New Year's address said the "unification" of Taiwan with China was "inevitable".

Voting began at 8:00 am (0000 GMT) at the nearly 18,000 polling stations across the island, with almost 20 million people eligible to cast ballots. Turnout at the last election in 2020 was almost 75%, but analysts predict a lower number this time.

Results are expected Saturday evening, with the outcome watched closely from Beijing to Washington -- the island's main military partner.

Lai’s main opponent Hou Yu-ih, of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), favours warmer ties with China and accuses the DPP of antagonising Beijing with its stance that Taiwan is "already independent".

Hou's KMT has said it will boost economic prosperity, while maintaining strong relationships with international partners, including the United States.

The race has also seen the rise of the populist Taiwan People's Party (TPP). The KMT and TPP tried to strike a deal to join forces against the DPP, but the partnership collapsed over who would lead the presidential ticket.

All three parties held final rallies on Friday night in front of crowds of hundreds of thousands.

As well as a president, voters will also elect lawmakers to Taiwan's 113-seat legislature.

Taiwan bans the publishing of polls within 10 days of elections, but political observers say the 64-year-old Lai is expected to win the top seat, though his party is likely to lose its parliamentary majority.

Hours before the vote, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met a senior Chinese official in Washington and stressed the importance of "maintaining peace and stability" across the Taiwan Strait.