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| ‘One step from a new era’: Taiwan voters likely to elect first female president | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| TAIPEI – Her supporters held up their mobile phones, flashlights on, to embody the campaign motto “Light Up Taiwan.” Tsai Ing-wen, who hopes to become Taiwan’s first female president after Saturday’s election, stood before tens of thousands of flag-waving, cheering and adoring fans at her final campaign rally. | |
| “This election is not about beating anyone, it is about beating the difficulties this country is facing,” she said Friday night. “We are only one step away from a new era.” | “This election is not about beating anyone, it is about beating the difficulties this country is facing,” she said Friday night. “We are only one step away from a new era.” |
| Behind her loomed the tower of the president’s office, where she hopes to rule as the most powerful woman in the Chinese-speaking world. Beside her, onstage, young people stood to symbolize the new era she hopes to inaugurate. | Behind her loomed the tower of the president’s office, where she hopes to rule as the most powerful woman in the Chinese-speaking world. Beside her, onstage, young people stood to symbolize the new era she hopes to inaugurate. |
| On the surface, this is an election all about the economy, and current President Ma Ying-Jeou’s failure to breathe life back into of Asia’s former economic tigers. But dig a little deeper, and this is a vote that sees Taiwan finding its feet after two decades as a democracy, starting to reimagine itself as a nation quite separate from its communist big brother across the Taiwan Strait. | On the surface, this is an election all about the economy, and current President Ma Ying-Jeou’s failure to breathe life back into of Asia’s former economic tigers. But dig a little deeper, and this is a vote that sees Taiwan finding its feet after two decades as a democracy, starting to reimagine itself as a nation quite separate from its communist big brother across the Taiwan Strait. |
| Opinion polls predict a crushing defeat for the ruling Nationalists, or Kuomintang (KMT), their candidate Eric Chu Li-luan trailing far behind Tsai in the presidential race. | Opinion polls predict a crushing defeat for the ruling Nationalists, or Kuomintang (KMT), their candidate Eric Chu Li-luan trailing far behind Tsai in the presidential race. |
| For eight years, Ma and KMT had promised that improved ties with China would help to rescue Taiwan’s ailing economy: Closer integration has indeed helped trade and tourism to boom, but the benefits of Ma’s “open door” policy have not been widely shared. The economy as a whole is thought to have barely expanded by 1 percent last year. | For eight years, Ma and KMT had promised that improved ties with China would help to rescue Taiwan’s ailing economy: Closer integration has indeed helped trade and tourism to boom, but the benefits of Ma’s “open door” policy have not been widely shared. The economy as a whole is thought to have barely expanded by 1 percent last year. |
| “This election is still about the economy, but there is a flavor of cross-strait relations and even identity embedded in it,” said Eric Yu Chen-hua, an associate research fellow at the Election Study Center of National Chengchi University. | “This election is still about the economy, but there is a flavor of cross-strait relations and even identity embedded in it,” said Eric Yu Chen-hua, an associate research fellow at the Election Study Center of National Chengchi University. |
| “People don’t trust that Ma’s open door policy with China will boost Taiwan’s economy,” he said. | “People don’t trust that Ma’s open door policy with China will boost Taiwan’s economy,” he said. |
| Tsai made no such promises, focusing her campaign resolutely on domestic concerns, employment and housing, modernizing the economy, and forming a government that is closer to the people. | Tsai made no such promises, focusing her campaign resolutely on domestic concerns, employment and housing, modernizing the economy, and forming a government that is closer to the people. |
| “If I’m elected president, I’ll make people’s voice the foundation of policymaking,” she said as rousing music swirled in the background and spotlights probed the sky. “Democracy is not just an election, it is our daily life.” | “If I’m elected president, I’ll make people’s voice the foundation of policymaking,” she said as rousing music swirled in the background and spotlights probed the sky. “Democracy is not just an election, it is our daily life.” |
| [An opposition leader prepares to take helm in Taipei, and Beijing is rattled] | [An opposition leader prepares to take helm in Taipei, and Beijing is rattled] |
| Usually described as bookish and soft-spoken, the woman known affectionately as Dr. Tsai, or Little Ing, looked confident and relaxed. In the crowd, 50-year-old businesswoman Fang Yang-ping struggled to fight back tears. | Usually described as bookish and soft-spoken, the woman known affectionately as Dr. Tsai, or Little Ing, looked confident and relaxed. In the crowd, 50-year-old businesswoman Fang Yang-ping struggled to fight back tears. |
| “I don’t know what to say, I am so touched and excited,” she said. “What she said totally reflects what we want.” | “I don’t know what to say, I am so touched and excited,” she said. “What she said totally reflects what we want.” |
| Yet even if Tsai did not mention China in her closing speech, Taiwan’s powerful neighbor still looms like a shadow over this election. | Yet even if Tsai did not mention China in her closing speech, Taiwan’s powerful neighbor still looms like a shadow over this election. |
| Beijing still views Taiwan as part of its territory and threatens to use force if it ever declares independence. It has found a degree of accommodation with the KMT after both sides agreed, in 1992, on the idea that there was “one China,” even though they disagree on who the nation’s rightful rulers are. | Beijing still views Taiwan as part of its territory and threatens to use force if it ever declares independence. It has found a degree of accommodation with the KMT after both sides agreed, in 1992, on the idea that there was “one China,” even though they disagree on who the nation’s rightful rulers are. |
| [China, Taiwan leaders pledge peaceful ties at historic encounter] | [China, Taiwan leaders pledge peaceful ties at historic encounter] |
| Tsai, though, wants to maintain the status quo of de facto independence: Her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won’t endorse the “one China” principle because that would mean renouncing any possibility of eventual, formal independence. | Tsai, though, wants to maintain the status quo of de facto independence: Her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won’t endorse the “one China” principle because that would mean renouncing any possibility of eventual, formal independence. |
| How Beijing would react to a Tsai presidency is one of the big unanswered questions going into Saturday’s vote, and it is question the KMT has tried to ruthlessly exploit, warning of “chaos” and “catastrophe,” of economic fallout and security risks if Tsai should win. | How Beijing would react to a Tsai presidency is one of the big unanswered questions going into Saturday’s vote, and it is question the KMT has tried to ruthlessly exploit, warning of “chaos” and “catastrophe,” of economic fallout and security risks if Tsai should win. |
| “It is important people make a wise decision tomorrow,” the KMT’s Chu told reporters Friday. “I believe that both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the United States and the whole world are looking for a peaceful relationship between Taiwan and China. My election can give everyone confidence.” | “It is important people make a wise decision tomorrow,” the KMT’s Chu told reporters Friday. “I believe that both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the United States and the whole world are looking for a peaceful relationship between Taiwan and China. My election can give everyone confidence.” |
| [Beijing warns Taiwan against ditching ‘one China’ pact as election nears] | [Beijing warns Taiwan against ditching ‘one China’ pact as election nears] |
| Yet that argument seems to have had little sway with voters. That’s partly because many had grown uncomfortable with Taiwan’s growing dependence on China under Ma, partly because they trust Tsai to handle cross-strait relations sensibly, but also because her likely victory would reflect a fundamental shift in the way Taiwanese people think of themselves, experts say. | Yet that argument seems to have had little sway with voters. That’s partly because many had grown uncomfortable with Taiwan’s growing dependence on China under Ma, partly because they trust Tsai to handle cross-strait relations sensibly, but also because her likely victory would reflect a fundamental shift in the way Taiwanese people think of themselves, experts say. |
| More and more, the people of this island think of themselves not as Chinese people, nor even so much as both Taiwanese and Chinese, but as exclusively Taiwanese, polls show. | More and more, the people of this island think of themselves not as Chinese people, nor even so much as both Taiwanese and Chinese, but as exclusively Taiwanese, polls show. |
| It is a process that really got underway after Taiwan became a democracy, and that has accelerated as ties with China have blossomed under Ma’s presidency. | It is a process that really got underway after Taiwan became a democracy, and that has accelerated as ties with China have blossomed under Ma’s presidency. |
| “The more contact people have had with China, the more they feel: ‘China’s great, but it’s just not us,’ ” said Nathan Batto, an assistant research fellow at Academia Sinica in Taipei. | “The more contact people have had with China, the more they feel: ‘China’s great, but it’s just not us,’ ” said Nathan Batto, an assistant research fellow at Academia Sinica in Taipei. |
| At the root of this shift lies the two nations’ very different histories in the 20th century, their different cultures and fundamentally different political systems, Batto said. | At the root of this shift lies the two nations’ very different histories in the 20th century, their different cultures and fundamentally different political systems, Batto said. |
| “Democracy is a core part of Taiwan’s political identity now,” he said. | “Democracy is a core part of Taiwan’s political identity now,” he said. |
| At Tsai’s rally, some openly declared their desire for an independent homeland, like 40-year-old white-collar worker Celine Chen. “I want the whole world to know that we are Taiwan, we are not China,” she said. | At Tsai’s rally, some openly declared their desire for an independent homeland, like 40-year-old white-collar worker Celine Chen. “I want the whole world to know that we are Taiwan, we are not China,” she said. |
| Yet others prefer the middle ground that Tsai has so far chalked out. | Yet others prefer the middle ground that Tsai has so far chalked out. |
| “Tsai is an intelligent woman,” said Gine Shuen, a 37-year-old teacher. “Although she is the leader of the DPP, she doesn’t insist on separating Taiwan from China, nor on making Taiwan too close to China. She keeps an open mind, wants communication and has a tolerant attitude, which is the best way to deal with the cross-strait relationship.” | “Tsai is an intelligent woman,” said Gine Shuen, a 37-year-old teacher. “Although she is the leader of the DPP, she doesn’t insist on separating Taiwan from China, nor on making Taiwan too close to China. She keeps an open mind, wants communication and has a tolerant attitude, which is the best way to deal with the cross-strait relationship.” |
| Xu Jing contributed to this report. | Xu Jing contributed to this report. |
| [A heavy metal star rocks the vote in Taiwan and gives Beijing a headache] | [A heavy metal star rocks the vote in Taiwan and gives Beijing a headache] |
| [He fought for democracy in Beijing. Now he is running for office in Taiwan.] | [He fought for democracy in Beijing. Now he is running for office in Taiwan.] |