Tsai Ing-wen wins 2016 ROC presidential election

2016/01/18

Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen declared victory Jan. 16 in the 2016 ROC presidential election, making her the first woman to hold the nation’s highest office in its 104-year history.

Garnering 6.89 million votes, or 56.12 percent, Tsai defeated Eric Chu of the ruling Kuomintang by 3.08 million votes. James Soong, representing the People First Party, collected 1.58 million votes.

According to the Central Election Commission, the turnout rate was 66.27 percent, the lowest since the commencement of direct ROC presidential elections in 1996.

During a post-election international news conference, the 59-year-old Tsai vowed to strengthen the unity of the country and build a consistent, predictable and sustainable cross-strait relationship.

“We will work toward maintaining the status quo for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait in order to bring the greatest benefits and well-being to the Taiwanese people,” she said.

Chu, 54, conceded defeat and congratulated Tsai on her win. “The KMT has failed its supporters and the country,” he said, before resigning as chairman of the party to take responsibility of the loss. Running for the third time, 73-year-old PFP Chairman Soong said he was pleased with the peaceful election as it reaffirms the value of Taiwan’s democracy.

During a congratulatory call to Tsai, President Ma Ying-jeou said the election is testament to the democratic achievement of Taiwan and the ROC’s solid constitutional framework. “I expect the new president to continue upholding the current state of the peace and prosperity enjoyed across the Taiwan Strait,” he said.

Ma also proposed to name a premier with interparty support to replace Mao Chi-kuo, who stepped down earlier in the evening after the DPP won the majority seats in the simultaneous legislative elections for the first time in history.

Later in the evening, the U.S. Department of State issued a statement congratulating Tsai on her victory, as well as the people of Taiwan for “once again demonstrating the strength of their robust democratic system, which will now undergo another peaceful transition of power.”

Tsai will be sworn in as the 14th president of the ROC during a ceremony May 20 in Taipei City.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=241346&ctNode=2194&mp=9)