What do we know about Taiwan’s election?
The recent presidential election in Taiwan just finished, and the Democratic Progressive Party won again. Lai Ching-te is now the new president.
This happened even though China warned that if they got re-elected, it might cause problems. Like the previous President, Tsai Ing-wen, Ching-te is not favoured by China's Communist Party leaders.
What is China’s problem with this election result?
China sees Taiwan as a lost territory, and China’s leader, Xi Jinping, wants to unify China and Taiwan. However, the recent election in Taiwan shows that the Chinese government's plans are not working.
The Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan always promotes a separate Taiwanese identity. The election results also tell us that people in Taiwan like the current political party and see Taiwan as different from China.
China thinks Taiwan will eventually become a part of it. However, many Taiwanese identify as a distinct nation, while most prefer to maintain the current scenario in which Taiwan neither claims independence nor joins China.
What was the world’s reaction to the election result?
Leaders from the US, the United Kingdom (UK), Japan, the European Union, and others have congratulated Lai Ching-te for winning Taiwan's election. China is not happy with the reactions and the election results. Meanwhile, Taiwan has told China to accept the result.
Before the election, China told Taiwanese voters to make a good choice and not pick the Democratic Progressive Party. However, the people in Taiwan were brave and chose the government they believed would help them grow and deepen relations with other countries.
