Kuomintang’s Ma Ying-jeou wins Taiwan’s presidential election! From The Washington Post:
The decisive votes signaled the end of an eight-year period in which many Taiwanese seemed to be swept up by Chen’s pugnacious nationalism and emphasis on Taiwanese self-identity. His relentless campaigning — and the tension it caused in China and the United States — created a sense of fatigue among Taiwan’s 23 million inhabitants, analysts here said, and gave Ma an opportunity to ride to victory on his message of cool pragmatism toward China and renewed focus on the slipping economy.
Ma, from a mainland immigrant family active in the Nationalist Party, won 58 percent of the vote, according to an official count by the Central Electoral Commission. Frank Hsieh, the candidate of Chen’s Democratic Progressive Party, won 42 percent. With the Nationalists scoring an equally lopsided victory in legislative elections Jan. 12, Ma will have an unusually clear mandate and an unchallenged grip on power when he takes office.
By the way, I like how Ma Ying-jeou’s name can be translated as “Horse English Nine”.
(Photo credit: Vincent Yu - AP)
Tags: China, United States