Taiwan’s newly elected President Lai Ching-tey vowed on Saturday to protect the self-ruled island from China’s “threat” after voters rejected Beijing’s warnings and handed him an election victory.
Lai – whom Beijing has described as a threat to peace in the flashpoint region – secured an unprecedented third consecutive term for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after a vigorous campaign in which he cast himself as a defender of Taiwan’s democratic way of life. introduced into.
Communist China claims democratic Taiwan, separated from the mainland by a 180-kilometre (110 mi) strait, and refuses to use force to bring about “unification” even if conflict does not appear imminent.
Beijing, which had described Lai as a “grave threat” before the vote and urged voters to abstain from him, said on Saturday that the results would not stop “the inevitable trend of China’s reunification.”
In his victory speech Lai said he would maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, but pledged to defend the island from Chinese warfare.
“We are committed to protecting Taiwan from the continued threats and intimidation it faces from China,” he told supporters.
After votes from almost all polling stations were counted, the Central Election Commission said Lai had won 40.1 percent of the vote, ahead of Hou Yu-ih of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) with 33.5 percent.