TAIPEI: A day after defying Beijing’s threats by electing a new president that China regards as a dangerous separatist, Taiwanese voters brushed off their saber-rattling neighbor across the narrow strait. Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won comfortably in Saturday’s election — despite China repeatedly warning the Taiwanese that electing him would put the island on an “evil path” to war.

Communist China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, strongly opposes Lai and the DPP, seeing them as too favorable to independence — a red line for Beijing. China has never ruled out using force to take Taiwan, and Beijing’s threats have loomed over the election campaign.

Retiree Cindy Huang told AFP that Lai’s victory over Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang (KMT) — seen as more favorable to Beijing — showed that Taiwan wanted to move on from decades of anxiety about China. “Taiwan has come out, we don’t want to go back to the old path,” the 58-year-old told AFP. “We don’t want to be tied to China anymore.”

Dire straits

Beijing insists Taiwan is part of China in the same way as Macau and Hong Kong are, but the experience of the former British-ruled banking hub has alarmed Taiwanese voters. After years of allowing Hong Kong limited freedoms under the “one country, two systems” doctrine, Beijing has cracked down hard on dissent with a national security law implemented after city-wide protests for greater liberty.

“That protest (in Hong Kong) had a profound impact on young people in Taiwan and made us want Taiwan to be recognized separately and independently in the world,” university clerk Hana told AFP. Her friend Mike, a construction worker, said the current set-up, in which Taiwan is independent in practice — with its own government, flag, military and economy — was working.

“I just want to maintain the status quo, meaning not getting any worse,” he said, dismissing the idea of China seizing the island as empty threats. “China has been chanting those strong words for 70 years but they have not invaded us.”

Lai and the DPP have toned down past rhetoric pushing for full independence, arguing that since Taiwan is essentially sovereign, there is no need for a formal declaration that would enrage Beijing. A 40-year-old factory worker surnamed Wang, enjoying the warm Taipei sunshine with her two chinchillas, said she was happy with the arrangement.

“Taiwan is a de facto independent country so it doesn’t really matter whether the world will recognize that,” Wang said. “I think the election results show that Taiwanese people want to maintain the status quo and preserve our own way of life.”

Saturday’s election saw a shift in the island’s political dynamics as the upstart populist Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) won more than 25 percent of the vote, disrupting the traditional DPP-KMT duopoly. TPP and its charismatic presidential candidate Ko Wen-je promised a “reasonable and pragmatic” option for voters weary of the two main parties. While Ko finished in third place, for some younger Taiwanese his party represents a refreshing alternative to the two establishment outfits.

University student Stephanie Chen missed the election as she is still a few days from her 20th birthday — the legal voting age in Taiwan. For her, despite China’s dire warnings across the Taiwan Strait, war is a distant prospect — unimaginable almost — and TPP offered inspiring new ideas. — AFP

Chen said she would have voted for TPP if she could “because Ko’s initiatives seem more creative and less conservative”. “I prioritize those who can do better in managing public finance and the government,” she said.

Alan Li, a civil engineer who voted for TPP, said that for him too, domestic rather than diplomatic policies were his priority. The 30-year-old said he wanted a change in government as the rise in property prices in the past few years had become intolerable for young people like him.

His partner, Jane Wu, also 30, echoed other voters’ calls to maintain the status quo with China, hoping Lai would not push too hard for independence. “Taiwan and China are de facto two countries and have been so for a very long time. An official recognition in law is not really necessary,” said Wu, who works in manufacturing. — AFP