DHAKA: Pro-independence candidate Tsai Ing-wen has effectively won Taiwan’s presidential elections after Eric Chu, the candidate and chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT), conceded defeat.

Tsai of Taiwan’s main opposition party was on course for a landslide election victory on Saturday, polls showed, as voters turn their backs on closer ties with China, reports Al Jazeera.

With more than half the votes counted, Tsai of the Beijing-wary Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was ahead with 58.1 percent, according to a live count from polling stations by Taiwan’s FTV.

Eric Chu was trailing in second on 32.5 percent. Veteran conservative candidate James Soong of the People First Party was third with 9.4 percent.

The China-friendly KMT had been ruling the island for eight years.

In a victory speech in the capital, Taipei Tsai said the results showed that democracy is ingrained in the Taiwanese people and that she will strive to maintain stability with China.

‘We will work towards 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,’ Tsai said.

‘I also want to emphasize that both of sides of the strait have a responsibility to find a mutually acceptable means of interactions that are based on dignity and reciprocity. We must ensure that no provocation or accidents take place,’ she added.

Moreover, Parliamentary polls were also held, and if the DPP wins those too, Tsai will get an even stronger mandate.

Tsai has walked a careful path on her China strategy, saying she wants to maintain the ‘status quo’ with Beijing.

However, the DPP is traditionally a pro-independence party and opponents say Tsai will destabilize relations.

BDST: 2010 HRS, JAN 16, 2016
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