Taiwanese voters defy China to put faith in candidate Xi fears most

Taiwanese voters struck a blow to China on Saturday as they elected a president who has vowed to protect the island’s democratic way of life from Beijing’s influence.

Lai Ching-te, the presidential candidate for Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, won the closely-watched election, with partial results showing he had taken 40.2 per cent of ballots cast as his two opponents conceded defeat in front of supporters.

The delivery of an unprecedented third straight term for the DPP – despised by China’s leaders – was a clear sign of the extent to which scepticism of China has become entrenched across Taiwanese society,  and could trigger Beijing to step up its economic and military pressure on the island.