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The independent DPP party in power since 2016 is set to win its third mandate, William Lai Ching-te is in the lead with over 42% of the votes in a clear victory in front of which Hou Yu-ih, candidate of the Kuomintang, also stands bowed admitting defeat. The victory is also the victory of the ticket with the deputy Hsiao Bi-khim, both fervent supporters of the independence of the island which, instead, China claims as part of its sovereign territory.
Feeling the victory in his pocket and more than an hour before the closing of the counting, Lai rushed into the party headquarters to already find a crowd of tens of thousands of supporters welcoming him in a festive atmosphere. The candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party, at around 65% of the count, was in the lead with over 40% of valid votes, trailing his rivals Hou Yu-ih (Kmt) and Ko Wen-je (TPP), respectively at 33.4 % and 26.5%, based on unofficial data from local media. There is confidence that victory is always close because the official data, those released by the Central Electoral Commission, give – around half of the 17,795 seats counted, Lai at 41.9%, Hou at 33.15% and Ko at 24 ,95%. 19.3 million voters were called to vote in over 18 thousand polling stations for elections that could redefine relations between Taipei and Beijing. According to initial indications, the elections should have recorded a record turnout, at least over 70%.
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Chinese military maneuvers
Meanwhile, China has sent eight jets and six military ships around the island, as reported by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense. Two Chinese spy balloons have also been sent to the Taiwan Strait, he adds. China also blocked the hashtag “Taiwan elections” on the social media platform Weibo. Economic Times writes it. The block was placed after the hashtag became one of the most trending ones after the polls opened on the island.