The party of Taiwan's China-friendly President Ma Ying-jeou won key local elections Saturday amid a wave of sympathy after a top politician's son was shot at an election-eve rally. The Kuomintang (KMT) garnered three mayoral positions out of five up for grabs against the opposition, according to final results released by the Central Election Commission.
"I love you Taipei residents... I will do my best in the future," Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin told his supporters after declaring victory in his re-election bid by a comfortable margin, despite predictions of a close race. In New Taipei city, another tightly contested area, the chairwoman of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Tsai Ing-wen conceded her defeat to rival Eric Chu. "We did not succeed in our challenge but we should remember the efforts we put in," she said. Hau called for a moment of silence to pray for Sean Lien, the son of former vice president Lien Chan, who was seriously injured in the shooting that also killed a bystander. Analysts said the incident helped consolidate support for the party, especially in Taipei city, where Hau was trailing in some polls.