In Taiwan, Voters Choose President as China Tensions Loom

Millions of Taiwan’s residents lined up at poll cubicles on Saturday to decide that would reshape the island democracy’s more and more tense standoff with its far bigger neighbor, China: Who needs to be Taiwan’s subsequent president in harmful occasions?
The voters are primarily selecting between the governing Democratic Progressive Party, which desires to maintain steering Taiwan away from Beijing’s affect, arguing that that is one of the simplest ways to maintain the island safe, and the opposition Nationalist Party, which has vowed to increase commerce ties and restart talks with China, arguing that this can scale back the dangers of conflict. A more moderen occasion, the Taiwan People’s Party, has additionally promised steps to revive engagement with China.
Taiwan’s polling stations closed at 4 p.m. native time, and native information stations promptly started broadcasting reside video of election officers counting the ballots. The outcomes, prone to be introduced Saturday evening, may ripple far past the island, which has change into the only greatest flashpoint within the rivalry between China and the United States. Any shift in relations between China and Taiwan after the island’s subsequent president takes workplace in May may intensify or ease the tensions between Beijing and Washington.
In some locations, traces started forming at cubicles even earlier than the polls opened at 8 a.m., with many multigenerational households exhibiting up in teams. Taiwanese residents should vote in person — no digital or postal ballots are allowed — and other people fanned out to achieve nearly 18,000 polling stations in temples, church buildings, group facilities and colleges throughout the island. Votes can be counted by hand after the polls shut at 4 p.m
“Taiwan’s election for a president and vice president actually affects not just the future of Taiwan, but also of Asia and even the entire world,” stated Cheng Ting-bin, 56, a trainer who had simply voted in Taipei, the capital. “We all know that the world is now choosing sides.”
The race is tight. Vice President Lai Ching-te, the presidential candidate for the Democratic Progressive Party, has been extensively seen as the front-runner. But Hou Yu-ih, the Nationalist candidate, has narrowed Mr. Lai’s result in only some proportion factors in lots of polls in current weeks.
And Ko Wen-je, the Taiwan People’s Party’s candidate, holds onto hope of a shock victory propelled by voters fed up with the 2 established events. Mr. Ko’s occasion stated that his rally in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, on Friday evening drew nearly 200,000 people.
In Taipei, Mr. Ko appeared together with his spouse at a college the place he voted alongside a throng of others, a few of whom had been carrying espresso as they quietly entered the cubicles to solid paper ballots.
One of his supporters, Jessica Chou, 25, she thought that the D.P.P. had pushed Taiwan too near Washington, and that she hoped the subsequent chief would maintain a distance from each the worldwide powers.
“I’m worried about China, but I also think that we can’t always rely on the United States,” Ms. Chou stated, as she got here out of the varsity the place she stated she had voted for Mr. Ko. “I hope that Taiwan can find its own strategically advantageous position.”
Many described the solemn weight of utilizing democratic means to determine which presidential contender ought to face their a lot bigger, autocratic and closely armed neighbor.
“I think it’s inevitable that my generation will face more clashes with China,” stated Chen Hsuan, 27, after casting her vote at an elementary college in Chiayi, a southern metropolis. “So I cherish the opportunity to vote today even more.”
She stated she voted for the D.P.P. and hoped the brand new presidency may increase ties with democratic international locations.
On Friday evening, the events every held raucous election-eve rallies round Taiwan. In Chiayi, candidates from the three events drove marketing campaign vans round a big fountain at a circle within the metropolis’s downtown, yelling slogans and urging folks to vote.
Large crowds of supporters packed facet streets across the circle, waving colourful banners and massive balloons. The parade was festive, with candidate vans taking part in thumping membership music, and a number of other supporters wearing inflatable dinosaur costumes for no obvious political motive.
Waving a small flag for the Nationalist Party on the rally in Chiayi, Wu Lee-shu, 60, a clothes retailer clerk, stated she was involved about Taiwan’s security below the D.P.P. “I’ll vote for the Nationalist Party because I think it’s less likely that they would push Taiwan to war,” she stated. “I’m worried about letting the other party take power, but I’ll respect the results of democracy.”
The candidates have additionally debated home points such as housing and vitality coverage, and so they have traded accusations that their rivals engaged in shady land offers. But the problem of China overshadows each main election right here.
Beijing asserts that the island of 23 million folks about 100 miles off the Chinese coast is its territory and has urged its folks to simply accept unification — peacefully, if potential; by pressure, if China’s leaders determine it’s vital. The United States is by far Taiwan’s most essential safety backer, and has below Presidents Biden and Trump change into extra brazenly lively in supporting the island in opposition to Chinese pressure.
The D.P.P.’s presidential candidate, Mr. Lai, is attempting to win a 3rd consecutive time period in energy for his occasion, one thing no occasion has achieved since Taiwan adopted direct presidential elections in 1996. He has promised to stay with the strategy of the present chief, President Tsai Ing-wen: preserving Beijing at arm’s size whereas searching for to keep away from battle, and strengthening ties with the United States and different democracies.
Since Ms. Tsai grew to become president eight years in the past, China has escalated navy pressure on Taiwan. Chinese jets and warships commonly take a look at Taiwan’s navy, and that intimidation may improve, at the least for some time, if Mr. Lai wins. The Chinese Communist Party has particularly reviled Mr. Lai, who earlier in his profession referred to as himself a “practical worker” for Taiwan’s independence.
Mr. Hou has promised to ease tensions with Beijing, arguing that stronger ties with China — by way of commerce, tourism and public interplay — would assist scale back the chance of battle over Taiwan’s future. But even a victory for Mr. Hou wouldn’t dispel the deep political variations between Taipei and Beijing.
The winner of Taiwan’s presidential election may additionally must cope with tough politics within the island’s 113-member legislature, which additionally goes to the voters on Saturday. Polls have indicated that the D.P.P. is prone to lose its present majority of lawmakers, and the Nationalists could not acquire a brand new majority, probably giving the Taiwan People’s Party a robust position within the legislature.
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