Taiwan’s ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te won the presidential election Saturday, with partial results showing he had taken 40.2 percent of ballots cast as his two opponents conceded defeat in front of supporters.
The results were counted from 98 percent of polling stations across the island, according to figures from the Central Election Commission, showing that Lai’s main opponent Hou Yu-ih trailed behind with 33.4 percent of the vote count.
China earlier warned electing Lai would lead to “war and decline” for the self-ruled island.
Beijing has in the past slammed Lai, the current vice president, as a dangerous “separatist” and on the eve of the vote, its defense ministry vowed to “crush” any move towards Taiwanese independence.
Communist China claims democratic Taiwan, separated from the mainland by a 180-kilometer (110-mile) strait, as its own and says it will not rule out using force to bring about “unification,” even if conflict does not appear imminent.
Lai, 64, pitched himself during a raucous campaign as the defender of Taiwan’s democratic way of life.
“This is Taiwan’s hard-won democracy. We should all cherish our democracy and vote enthusiastically,” Lai told reporters as he voted in a school gmnasium in the southern city of Tainan.
KMT’s Hou, 66, favors warmer ties with China and accuses the DPP of antagonizing Beijing with its stance that Taiwan is “already independent.”
As well as a president, voters also elected lawmakers to Taiwan’s 113-seat legislature.
