Taiwan's incumbent president was re-elected on Saturday as official tallies showed he held a near-unassailable lead in the vote-count and the opposition conceded defeat. The result, which points to a continuation of the detente between Taiwan and China, should reassure both Beijing and Washington at a time of political transition for both superpowers.
The elections had been expected to be tight, but the Central Election Commission said that with most votes counted, the Nationalist Party's Ma Ying-jeou, who has fostered warmer ties with China, had about 51.5 percent of the vote versus about 45.7 percent for Tsai Ing-wen of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
"We have won," Ma, 61, shouted to supporters at party headquarters as they cheered and clapped in pouring rain. "In the next four years, cross-strait relations will be more peaceful, with greater mutual trust and the chance of conflict will be less." Tsai conceded defeat and said she was quitting as DPP party chief.
However, Ma's victory will be much reduced from the near 17-point margin he had over the DPP at the last election in 2008. But the Nationalist Party was also projected to get a clear majority in parliament, which should give Ma a fillip in pushing through policy. Television said the Nationalists would get about 65 seats in the 113-member legislature, although that is also lower than the 81 seats they had in the outgoing house.
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