Taiwan Presidential Election Vote Counting Underway... 'Pro-US' DPP Candidate Leading So Far

As the vote counting for the 16th Taiwan presidential election, described as a "US-China proxy war," has begun, Lai Ching-te, the pro-US and pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, is leading.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Taiwan's EBC TV on the 13th, as of 5:10 PM local time (6:10 PM Korean time), DPP candidate Lai Ching-te received 2.37 million votes (37.4%), pro-China main opposition Kuomintang candidate Hou You-yi received 2.08 million votes (32.9%), and centrist second opposition Taiwan People's Party candidate Ko Wen-je received 1.89 million votes (29.7%). Other broadcasters reported similar vote counts. FTV reported Lai Ching-te with 2.73 million votes, Hou You-yi with 2.25 million votes, and Ko Wen-je with 1.9 million votes, while TVBS reported Lai Ching-te with 2.44 million votes, Hou You-yi with 2.05 million votes, and Ko Wen-je with 1.7 million votes.

According to the real-time vote count released by the Taiwan Central Election Commission, Lai Ching-te currently holds 43.3%, Hou You-yi 35.9%, and Ko Wen-je 20.8% of the vote share. Local media estimated the voter turnout to be around 75%, similar to the 74.9% turnout in the previous 2020 presidential election.

The election, which ended at 4 PM on the same day, is to elect the president and vice president as well as 113 legislators (members of parliament). Among Taiwan's total population of approximately 24 million, there are 19.55 million eligible voters aged 20 and above. The election was conducted at over 17,000 polling stations across Taiwan, with vote counting starting immediately after polls closed at each station.

This Taiwan election is attracting global attention as it is regarded as a proxy war between the United States and China. Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world's largest foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturer), amid the US-China hegemonic competition. The victory of either the pro-US or pro-China candidate will inevitably have a profound impact on global security and economic landscapes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.