Lai Ching-te secures presidential win, propelling Democratic Progressive Party’s continued rule

TAIWAN: Lai Ching-te, the presidential candidate representing Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has secured victory in the presidential election.

The DPP, which has held governance in Taiwan for the past eight years, is set to continue its political dominance with Lai Ching-te at the helm.

In the recent national election held on Saturday (13 Jan), Lai secured over 5.5 million votes, capturing more than 40% of the vote share.

Surpassing expectations based on late 2023 polling, he performed five points higher than anticipated.

Undecided voters, previously split three ways among the candidates, ultimately contributed to Lai’s success, giving him a seven-point lead over Kuomintang candidate Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜), who received 33.49% of the total votes.

In third place, Taiwan People’s Party candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) secured 26.46% of the national vote, slightly outperforming initial expectations.

In his recent statement, Lai emphasized the significance of his victory for three key reasons.

First and foremost, he highlighted that Taiwan is taking a firm stance in favor of democracy over authoritarianism.

Secondly, Lai underscored the success of Taiwan’s people in resisting external influences during the election process.

Lastly, he pointed out that his substantial support indicates that the country is poised to continue moving forward on the right path.

In a speech on Thursday (11 Jan), Lai, the former mayor of Tainan, outlined his political goals.

He pledged to reinforce national defense, boost the economy, and enhance cooperation with democratic allies.

Furthermore, he emphasized his commitment to maintaining deterrence and upholding the cross-strait status quo.

Lai expressed his intention to form a new government based on individuals’ capabilities rather than party affiliation.

This approach aims to enable an effective response to challenges, foster openness and inclusivity, and unite Taiwanese to address both domestic and international issues.

He also affirmed his dedication to ongoing initiatives, including value-based diplomacy, cross-strait stability, defense self-sufficiency, economic upgrading, energy transition, youth investment, housing justice, and educational equality.

Lai envisions shaping Taiwan into “a stable and indispensable force in the international community.”

Post-Taiwan election 2024: Hou Yu-ih displays grace in concession, while Ko Wen-je vows future victory

Following the Taiwan Presidential Election 2024, Hou Yu-ih, the representative of the Kuomintang, delivered a concession speech marked by humility and grace.

Recognizing the electoral outcome, where Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party secured 5.58 million votes, constituting 40%, surpassing Hou’s own count of 4.66 million votes at 33.4%, he expressed regret to his supporters.

Hou extended congratulations to Lai and urged him to heed the voice of the people, acknowledging the absence of a rotational shift in power within the nation.

In the midst of his concession, Hou emphasized the paramount importance of transparency, efficiency, and safeguarding Taiwan’s citizens under the incoming DPP government.

Contrastingly, Ko Wen-je, the candidate from the Taiwan People’s Party, opted not to concede defeat or extend congratulations, despite his vote tally standing at 3.68 million, equivalent to 26.4% of the vote.

In a spirited address, Ko drew inspiration from one of his former deputies and an at-large legislator, Huang Shan-shan, who encouraged resilience and determination, stating, “We don’t have time to feel sad, but the country will continue to move forward, and we have to go back to work tomorrow.”

Ko remained resolute, asserting, “The next time, we will definitely be able to take office and certainly win back Taiwan.”

In his international press conference which was held after his victory was confirmed, Lai shared both his rivals have extended their congratulations via phone and has thanked both.