Democratic Progressive Party Chair Lai Ching-te and his running mate Hsiao Bi-khim declared victory Jan. 13 in the 2024 Taiwan presidential election, keeping the DPP in power for another four years.
Garnering 5.59 million votes, or 40.05 percent, the current vice president of Taiwan defeated Hou Yu-ih of the opposition Kuomintang by 0.92 million votes. Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party collected 3.69 million votes.
According to the Central Election Commission, this year’s voter turnout was 71.86 percent. Lai and Hsiao will be sworn in as Taiwan’s 16th president and vice president, respectively, in a ceremony May 20 in Taipei City.
During a post-election international news conference, the 64-year-old Lai thanked the people for writing a new page in Taiwan’s history and demonstrating to the world that the country is committed to democracy. The new administration will mark an era of cooperation among political parties, he said.
Later in the day, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement congratulating Lai on his victory, as well as the people of Taiwan for showing once again the strength of their robust democratic system. The U.S. looks forward to working with Lai, as well as leaders of other Taiwan political parties, to advance the two sides’ shared interests and values while further deepening long-standing ties, Blinken added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued statements thanking Taiwan’s friends for their congratulatory messages. These include allies Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, Haiti, Marshall Islands, Palau, Paraguay, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu; like-minded partners such as Japan, Singapore and the European Union; and political figures and lawmakers from around the world, including U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson; Czech President Petr Pavel and Senate President Milos Vystrcil; and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron.
