The candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which champions autonomy from China, has won Taiwan’s presidential election, near-final results show.
Lai Ching-te, who is the current vice president, is set to replace Tsai Ing-wen, who has served the limit of two terms.
With 95% of polling stations declaring, Mr Lai appeared to have an unassailable lead.
The election was also contested by Hou Yu-ih from the Nationalist, or Kuomintang, party, which is in favour of closer ties with China; and Ko Wen-je from the smaller Taiwan People’s Party, which has engaged less in the China question and framed its campaign around domestic issues.
Mr Hou has conceded defeat in the contest and has congratulated Mr Lai.
Voters cast ballots on Saturday after a campaign overshadowed by tensions with China, which claims the territory as its own.
Beijing has been ramping up military pressure on Taipei and describes the contest as a choice between war and peace.
A victory for Mr Lai will likely irk Beijing, as the DPP does not acknowledge the “one China principle” in which territories like Taiwan and Hong Kong are deemed part of greater China.
The DPP is in favour of maintaining the status quo, in which Taiwan is self-governed.
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Speaking to reporters in the southern city of Tainan before voting, Mr Lai encouraged people to cast their ballots.
“Every vote is valued, as this is Taiwan’s hard-earned democracy,” he said in brief remarks.
In the run-up to the election, China repeatedly denounced Mr Lai as a dangerous separatist and rebuffed his repeated calls for talks.
Mr Lai has made explicitly pro-independence statements in the past, which is why he is deemed troublesome by China.
He has also said he is committed to preserving peace across the Taiwan Strait and boosting the island’s defences.
@Sky News
