Election of a New President of Free China Represents a Victory for Democracy in Face of Threats From the People’s Republic on the Mainland
Lai Ching-te, though, wins by only a plurality in a hard-fought three-way race in which the Nationalists emerge with control of the legislative yuan.
The election of Lai Ching-te as president of the Republic of China represents a victory for democracy in the face of threats from Beijing to invade the province of Taiwan to which Free Chinese forces fled in 1949 as Mao’s Red Army was conquering the mainland.
The stunning aspect of the election is that it was a referendum on distinct approaches to dealing with Beijing’s claims to an island that stands as an exemplar of freedom and democracy in a restive region. Mr. Lai, who has been vice president of the Republic of China under the outgoing president, Tsai Ing-wen, has made clear he will govern Taiwan as a sovereign, independent entity.
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