by Taejun Kang and Elaine Chan
January 14, 2024
Introduction:
Read more here: https://www.eurasiareview.com/14012024 ... nalysis/(Eurasia Review) Hou (Yu-ih of the Kuomintang, or KMT) Beijing’s preferred candidate, conceded the election by saying he respects the final choice that the Taiwanese people made.
“I would not only like to extend my congratulations to Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim [Lai’s running mate] for being elected, but also hope that they will live up to Taiwanese people’s expectations of a ruling party,” said Hou, calling for all parties to unite, and urged the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) to build a new and efficient government that Taiwan could trust.
Separately, Ko (Wen-je of Taiwan’s People’s Party, or TPP) noted that despite the defeat, the election has turned the TPP into a significant force, highlighting a positive outcome from the setback.
“Every vote represented an endorsement of us. This is also the first time in Taiwan, amid the blue-green [KMT-DPP] structure, that a three-party situation has emerged. It shows that Taiwan needs another voice.”
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Taiwanese also voted for representatives in the 113-seat legislature. As of 09:10 p.m. local time none of the seats had been officially declared but Lai acknowledged that the DPP had failed to hold onto a majority